Cursed
by Juura99
Summary: How much trust can you place on something you don't believe in, to discover a truth you aren't even sure is real?
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is: the promised story. I shall try to not to let this fall behind too much, but please do have patience with me! I hope you enjoy this!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or it's characters. All legends in this story are entirely fake and fictional, I made them up myself.  
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**Warnings: There will be language, slight violence/gore, supernatural themes, horror and dashes of shounen-ai (boy love) if you are offended by these, please do not flame. You have been fairly warned.  
**

**(please forgive any errors I may have overlooked)  
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* * *

A man narrowed his icy blue eyes towards the glowing silver moon. His strong legs were long and powerful, holding up his muscled body as he stood on the very edge of a hill cliff, the grass folding over the sudden cut that signalled the end. Below him was a raging river, the currents strong and deadly. His jacket flapped slightly in the wind, the golden tresses of his hair caressing his face while his unwavering stare pierced towards the sky.

Behind him the forest shook with wind and noises could be heard from within. Ghostly howls and moans, vicious snarls and roars. The dark forest was alive with sinister creatures, and yet he had his back to its edge, not fearful of the dangers lurking there.

Suddenly, the air shifted around him as a distant chime could be heard. It was coming from the direction of the small village beyond the woods and river, whose lights could faintly be seen from his perch up so high. The chimes went on twelve times, signalling that midnight had arrived and it was time for the village to properly settle down after their preparations.

His eyes widened slightly, brows drawing down into an almost crazed glare towards the moon. He opened his mouth wide, fangs elongating downwards rapidly while the markings on his cheeks suddenly split, stretching and darkening to form more and more whisker scars. His nose and jaw began to elongate and from his gaping mouth came a snarl that no human could make. It was the snarl of a beast.

Hair started to sprout all over his body, spreading up his arms and hands while his legs stretched before violently snapping near the ankles, reforming into a different shape; the shape of a wolf's legs. He got down on all fours, dangerously close to falling off the cliff and shook his entire body as it bulged and shrunk, cracking bones and adjusting joints creating a sickening symphony of metamorphosis. His jacket was shed in the flurry of movement, and his pants and shirt were torn, unable to stay on his growing body. Claws dug into the ground as more beastly snarls ripped from the trembling snout, filled with wicked fangs.

Finally, the man turned beast looked back towards the sky, eyes bleeding a violent red as rage continued to bubble inside. A dark tail whipped about behind it, beating the ground before the beast straightened, lifting its head towards the sky and letting out a long, echoing and ethereal howl. The noises of the forest quieted down briefly before a cacophony of answering howls joined in. The lights in the distance were snuffed out, and the beast knew that villagers were slamming their doors shut and bolting them tight. This was what they always did when he was out. They knew of him and they knew to be afraid.

He stomped down, snarling into the night air, his tail sweeping across the ground in an agitated motion before he leapt off the cliff, soaring through the air over the opening and landing on the other side. His claws dug into the edge of the wall, loud growls ripping through the air as he fought his way to safety and then he was racing forwards, heading through more trees and towards the village that feared his arrival with good reason.

Tonight was the night of judgement. Tonight...someone was going to pay.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke sighed heavily, leaning against the window of the car and watching as the rain splattered against the glass. His jacket was slung over the back of his seat since the car's heating was on, and he had unzipped the wide, obtruding collar of his undershirt so that the flaps hung down slightly, revealing a section of pale pink chest.

He sighed again, hating the long travel.

"If you sigh one more time, so help me God I'll kick you out of the car while we're still moving," an irritated voice grumbled beside him. Sasuke turned his head to glower at the man driving the car.

"It's your fault for dragging me along with you on this assignment, Kakashi," he said scornfully, flicking a long black bang out of his eyes. Kakashi scowled, an action that was only partially hidden by the surgeon's mask he wore to cover a variety of horrible scars on his mouth that he had attained in a terrible incident. His flyaway silver hair was drooping more than usual, undoubtedly from the humid air inside the car.

"It wasn't like I had a choice in the matter! We're the only ones available, and the boss wants the story on that town as quickly as possible," he said grumpily. "If I had a choice I would've taken Iruka or Anko instead. Compared to them you're companionship is about as entertaining as a massage chair made from cactus skins and porcupine arm-rests."

Sasuke's lips turned down into a scowl. "If you hate me so much, then you should've told the boss to send someone else!" he snapped, turning back to the window. God, he needed a new job. But that was hard to find when your boss was also your demonic older brother with a life mission of making you as miserable as possible.

Kakashi sighed heavily. "I don't hate you Sasuke," he said tiredly as if he'd said it a million times before. "But even you have to admit that you become a sour, unsociable, shitty partner when we go out of the city. I'm going to be stuck with you for an entire week in this village out in the middle of freaking nowhere, so forgive me for not looking forward to your bitchy mood swings."

Sasuke's glare was more heated than the car. "Kakashi, did I ever tell you how much I loathe the very air you breathe?" he asked darkly.

"See what I mean?" Kakashi asked no one in particular. He shook his head slightly. "How much father until we reach the village?"

Sasuke glanced at the map. "It's just up ahead, on the corner of Fuck-You and Go-Die," he grunted, turning back to the window. Kakashi mumbled something that Sasuke knew he wouldn't like, so he didn't bother asking him to repeat it. He was tired of arguing anyway.

They drove on in silence aside from the hum of the engine, the patter of rain and the faint rattles of their bags and recording equipment in the back seat. Kakashi checked the map himself and turned down the designated dirt road, leading them towards a more wooded area of the already country setting. They drove through the woods, the dark trees looming on either side, and Sasuke looked out curiously. He'd hardly travelled this far out of the city before, so seeing so much greenery was interesting. He looked ahead, squinting through the thick rain. It was still quite dark outside, as they had been driving throughout the night and it was only now reaching morning. They were used to working odd hours, however.

Suddenly, his sharp onyx eyes caught something in the road, running.

"STOP!" he yelled, slamming his hand on the dashboard as Kakashi slammed on the breaks at his shout. The car squealed, sliding slightly and Sasuke heard a loud metallic thud as whatever he had been hoping to avoid collided with the front of their car.

They stopped, panting heavily before Sasuke cursed and threw his door open.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi called, but he was ignored as the raven stepped out into the pouring rain and rushed around to the front of the car. The headlights shone brightly, illuminating the poor creature that they'd hit. Sasuke stopped when he saw it, his eyes widening as he took in the magnificent creature. It looked like some kind of wolf, but at the same time there was a distinct air of a fox around it. Its fur was a dark red, nearing brown, and it was huge! It lay on its side, body heaving up and down with every breath it took and Sasuke could see the shock trembling through its limbs. Of course it was shocked; the poor thing had just gotten smacked by a car!

He quickly walked over, kneeling down and carefully running a hand over its side. He was trying to find the injury, uncaring of the fact that he was soaked to the bone already under the torrents of rain. His hand slid over a lump in its side and he wondered if it had gotten lucky with only a lump. However, as soon as he withdrew his hand to check over its head, there was a snarl and the creature shot to its feet.

With a yell of surprise Sasuke toppled back, his tailbone smacking harshly on the dirt road while his palms grazed the muddied stones. He looked up, eyes wide when he saw the creature advancing towards him, snarling dangerously. He backed up, crawling across the ground awkwardly until his back hit the car bumper. Still the creature was advancing, lips pulled back to reveal deadly teeth.

Sasuke was barely breathing as it got close to him, and he tensed up, expecting his face to become dog food. He had almost closed his eyes, but then the creature stopped snarling. Its mouth was still baring teeth, but it looked much less threatening. In fact...it seemed to be studying him thoughtfully. He turned his head back to face it, his chest heaving from his fear of being mauled. Rain dripped down his face, and he saw it edge closer. The tip of its black nose touched the end of his and he held back a noise of shock when it sniffed him from close range. It was almost ticklish, and then the nose trailed to his cheek, sniffing again. Sasuke stayed still, watching the creature examine him in the rain. His palms were starting to sting from the grazes, and his backside ached. He had really gotten a fright! The wolfish creature had moved unbelievably quickly.

Suddenly something rough and warm lapped at his cheek, and he blinked. The creature had licked him. He stared at it, noticing for the first time that its eyes were a vivid blue. He'd never seen an animal with such blue eyes before! But there was something else mesmerising about those eyes. In the centre, curving around the black pupils was what almost looked like reflections of a crescent moon, glowing amidst the intense blue.

In a trance, he raised a hand, reaching towards the animal. It didn't shy away, and he was about to stroke its snout when the blaring of a car horn deafened him. He cried out, hands shooting up to cover his ears while the creature jumped back with a loud snarl and a vicious bark. Sasuke squinted, his head throbbing from the sudden blast of noise and he watched as the creature stared at him briefly before turning and sprinting into the forest, tail whipping out of sight.

"Sasuke! For goodness sake, get back in the damn car!" Kakashi yelled out his window. Sasuke climbed to his feet, wincing and shuffling over to the door. He slid inside the car, slamming the door shut and exhaling a breath. Kakashi handed him a towel he had snagged from their bags and Sasuke started to pat himself dry, wiping away the rain.

"Why the hell would you go out in this weather? And why the hell did you go near that thing?" Kakashi demanded. "I only saw the tips of it, but it was huge! Was it a bear or something?" he asked, starting up the engine. Sasuke shook his head, wiping his face with the towel.

"No, it was a wolf...or a fox...or some kind of strange crossbreed between the two," he said, his voice slightly muffled by the towel. Kakashi sent him a quizzical look, but didn't comment. "It was beautiful."

The other man snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure it was...right up until it decided your face looked like a five star meal," he said. Sasuke glared at him slightly.

"It wasn't going to hurt me. It stopped and...It was just looking at me, like it was studying me," he mumbled distractedly. He could still picture those intense eyes. They were unlike anything he'd ever seen. So animalistic and yet there had been something distinctly human about them. He shook his head slightly and turned to Kakashi. "If all the animals around here are like that thing, then I can see why legends of werewolves and monsters are spread so easily. If you saw something like that in the dark you'd think it was something unnatural."

Kakashi nodded, steering them down the road at a much slower pace than before. He certainly didn't want to hit anything else. He was glad that the other creature was alive, but damn if there were huge wolves wondering these areas he wasn't going to get much sleep during their stay.

After another hour of driving, the sky had lightened to dawn and they were arriving at the gates to the village. Both men stared up at the tall, towering structures covered in spikes at the top. They shared a nervous look. It looks like this village was some kind of bandit camp. However, there were two men standing at the gates who approached the car. Kakashi swallowed and locked their doors, making Sasuke roll his eyes even though secretly he would've done the same.

One of the men knocked on Kakashi's window and the grey-haired man rolled it down enough to speak.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" the guard said, looking in curiously. He didn't give off a hostile air, but there was a reserved aura about him.

"Uh yes, we're the two journalists that are going to do the story on the legends of your village?" Kakashi said, showing up his ID while Sasuke did the same. The guard looked surprised for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, you'll want to head up to the village hall. Just drive straight, it's the largest building. The village elder will be there to greet you," he said and Kakashi nodded.

"Thank you!" he said cheerfully. The guard just stepped aside, letting them pass. They drove slowly, glad that the rain had lightened up somewhat. The village was still quiet at this early hour, but the beginnings of life could be seen. Sasuke noticed how many curtains were shifted as residents peered out at them and then ducked away. He guessed that seeing two outsiders in a car was definitely something strange for this small and rural town. There weren't any cars anywhere else, and Sasuke knew that he and his partner were going to stick out like bleeding thumbs. He sighed, not looking forward to dealing with distant and scrutinizing people, but that was what came with small villages like this. They didn't like outsiders, so of course they'd act strange around him.

It was just uncomfortable.

Finally they arrived at the large hall and Kakashi pulled up to the side, keeping their car out of the way. They climbed out of the car, locking it to keep their equipment safe though they weren't convinced that any villagers would try to steal anything. After all, nothing they had was worth anything in a village as independent and self-reliant as this. A man wearing a long overcoat was waiting to greet them. He looked tired and beaten, but then again it was still early.

"Good morning," he greeted, bowing his head slightly. The two journalists returned the gesture and the man straightened. "Elder Danzou will see you now," he said, sweeping his hand to motion that they follow him. They headed up the stairs, towards the large front doors while Sasuke leant over to whisper to Kakashi.

"I thought the head of the village was a woman named Tsunade?" he asked and Kakashi gave a shrug.

"So did I. Well, that was who Itachi talked to about this assignment," he mumbled. He looked at the guide and cleared his throat. "Uh, forgive me if I seem rude but we were informed the village elder was a lady named Tsunade," he said and the guide stopped.

Silence took over and Sasuke felt a dark sensation creeping up his spine. Kakashi also looked a little unsettled, and they both realized that perhaps that question was not one to ask.

"Lady Tsunade has, unfortunately, passed on," the guide eventually said, his voice strained. The journalists jumped, surprised by the news.

"O-oh...I'm sorry to hear that. My condolences," Kakashi stammered and the air cleared. The guide turned, offering a small smile.

"It's okay. You weren't informed. Now follow me, Elder Danzou doesn't like waiting," the man said and continued walking. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as they followed. Something was wrong with the man's smile. It was almost as if he was trying to fool himself as well as them. He could understand if it was because he was grieving, but something in his gut told him that wasn't how it was. There was something underneath it all.

He decided that he would do a bit more digging into Tsunade's 'sudden' passing. After all, they were here to get the story on this secluded village wrapped in mystery and legends. They were led through to a large room with several rows of chairs set up, facing a stage. Undoubtedly this was where village meetings were held. Sasuke noticed a sign on the wall, imprinted with bold writing. He had noticed the same signs all over the village as they drove, plastered on walls and posts.

"Excuse me," he said, catching the attention of the guide. He pointed to the sign. "What does that say?" he asked.

The guide looked to the sign, his features tightening before he turned to the men.

"Caveat saltus.

Maledictus qui longius errat.

Maledictus qui cadit sub alica.

Maledictus qui in luce Lunae.

Lupum et vulpem, sicut unire,

Fuderit sanguinem inimicorum tuorum," the guide recited, his voice low and monotone. It sent chills down the backs of the others, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop as he spoke. Outside, the sun was blocked by clouds, sending them into a dim light and Sasuke heard a crack of thunder in the distance.

Both journalists blinked, bemused. The language was one that they weren't familiar with, but something about it scratched at their minds.

"It is Latin," the guide said and looked upwards. A silver of light from the windows splashed across his face and the room got colder as he spoke. "It translates: Be wary of the forest. Cursed be he that wanders too far. Cursed be he that falls under the spell. Cursed be he in the light of thy moon. The wolf and the fox, as, union, hath shed the blood of thine enemies."

Sasuke jumped and Kakashi made a choking sound when in the distance they heard the mournful cry of a wolf. The guide looked out the windows nervously, his eyes wide and haunted.

Suddenly a clap was heard and the lights came on, startling the three men.

"I thought I told you not to keep me waiting!" an elderly man snapped, walking down the steps of the stage. He had a walking stick in one hand, and was dressed in furs and cloaks. A bandage was wrapped around one half of his face and one of his arms was folded into his cloak. "Hello, gentleman. I am Elder Danzou, the leader of this village."

Kakashi cleared his throat, holding out a hand. "Hello sir. I am Hatake Kakashi, with the Mysteries Explained magazine," he said. There was silence and no movement before Sasuke sighed irritably, leaning over to Kakashi.

"Idiot, he's only got one hand and it's holding his walking stick!" he hissed and Kakashi gulped, withdrawing his hand with a nervous laugh as Sasuke stepped forward. "Forgive my moronic partner. I am Uchiha Sasuke, same magazine, same job."

The Elder nodded, his visible eye flickering over the two of them. "I'm glad you could make it safely. A house has been prepared for you to stay in, and my assistant shall give you a schedule of all town meetings should you wish to attend to learn how things are. You are free to ask the villagers questions, though I cannot guarantee that you will get answers. These are a quiet people, and they don't look well on outsiders. However I have asked that they all cooperate. Genma here will show you to your quarters. I trust you have a pleasant stay." With that said, the man bowed his head slightly and then turned and walked away. Sasuke and Kakashi shared looks, unsure of what to make of the new village head. Truthfully they had never met Tsunade, but from Itachi's descriptions of her she had seemed like a nice, sensible woman. Danzou was certainly straightforward but there was an air about him that screamed his dislike towards them.

The guide, Genma, motioned for them to follow. "Your lodgings are this way. I have your schedules here," he said, producing two sheets of paper and handing them over. Kakashi started to look over it while Sasuke slid his into his pocket. They stepped back out of the hall, walking down a narrow corridor. The village was awake, people milling around the streets as they started to go about their morning chores. Genma led them down the steps and across a short stretch to a small, quaint little structure.

"This will be your house," he said, waving at the building. "Please explore it to your content. Food has already been provided, but if you need more the market is only a few minutes down the path to the right."

"What payment do they take?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head.

"We use the same money as you," Genma said, a slight smirk on his face. "We do trade outside the village from time to time and we have all learned to save our money for united village repairs or construction."

Kakashi nodded while Sasuke surveyed the surroundings. The village had a large wall set up around it, spiked at the top like the gates. However he could just make out the tops of the trees of the surrounding forests.

"Why does the village have such a big barrier?" he asked, staring at the wicked spikes at the top of the wall. "I mean, sure, you don't want wolves or anything but to go that far? A wolf cannot jump that high."

Genma looked at him carefully. "We have our reasons. And on that point let me give you this warning, and you'd do well to listen to it," he said. They looked at him, surprised when he gave them an intense glare. "Don't go into the forest. Especially at night. Stay away from it, stay out of it...and don't let your curiosity trap you."

Kakashi stared at him while Sasuke blinked bemusedly. His brother Itachi had been right when he said this village was weird. Before they could question, Genma turned and started to walk away.

"I hope you enjoy your stay. Remember my warnings," he called over his shoulder before vanishing back into the hall.

Kakashi and Sasuke turned to look at each other, eyebrows raised.

"...Well, it looks like things will be interesting at most," Kakashi said with a small shrug. Sasuke nodded minutely, looking over the village and seeing a few people staring at them curiously. He sighed, but it couldn't be helped.

"Let's unpack our things then."

* * *

When Sasuke had declared the village weird he had been making an understatement. The people were reasonably fine, though a little wary of them and their questions. The older generations were very reserved, answering their questions with avoided answers and vague replies. The younger people were more open, but much of what they told them was the same as the stories they'd heard from surrounding villages.

The main legends of this village were that there was a werewolf that roamed around, killing anyone who got lost in the woods. While that was all well and fine in terms of a legend, their job was to discover what had started it. It wasn't as simple as 'someone got killed by a huge wolf and thus people made up a story'. No, it never was. When a village was this old, small and secluded, stories like that started from something. Usually from travellers who came by, heard the village people speak of the tale and then spread it to others as they carried on.

Sasuke sighed, slumping down onto the bed he was given. It was old and the mattress was a bit lumpy, but it was decent enough. They had only been in the village for a day, but he felt like he'd been here far too long already.

"There you are," Kakashi said, entering the room and moving to sit on his own bed as he undid his shirt buttons. "Well, what did you get so far?"

Sasuke turned his head to speak, listing off the information he got. "This village is quiet, this village is quaint, this village is peaceful, there are wolves in the woods, my clothes make me look like an alien according to a five year old farmer girl and no one wants to talk about Tsunade."

Kakashi chuckled at the outfit comment but nodded. "They seem very tight lipped about her. I'm really curious as to what happened. She didn't sound sick when Itachi last spoke to her. It was almost like she had a heart attack out of the blue."

"What I want to know is why there hasn't been a ceremony, or why there's no sort of memorial set up anywhere. Usually after someone so important dies they have at least a little memorial set up for days so people can say their prayers or respects. But it's like she vanished and they don't care," Sasuke rolled onto his back. "And did you question any of them about Danzou?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Why would I?"

"I did. And almost everyone I spoke to about him became tight-lipped and aggressive. It's as if they were afraid of getting into trouble."

"Well, I assume there would be some kind of disgrace on them if they were too badmouth their village leader," Kakashi reasoned, swinging his legs up and lying down. Sasuke hummed thoughtfully. Something was telling him that there was more going on than meets the eye. Tsunade's sudden death, the village's seemingly irrational fear of the forest, and the fact that Danzou seemed to have been put into power quite quickly despite the recent death of their previous leader. He wasn't a detective by any means, but even he could tell that there was something fishy about it all.

Then again, going around and snooping through a possible murder would only get him in danger.

Night had fallen over the village and Sasuke was ready to fall asleep. He checked his phone, seeing that it was nearing eleven. The village certainly stayed up late, since he could still see people wandering about.

A knock sounded on their door and they both sat up, sharing a look before Kakashi moved to open the door. Genma was standing outside, hands in his pockets.

"I forgot to mention earlier. At midnight everyone goes indoors and locks up tight. If you're outside past that time...it's very dangerous. If you plan to sleep earlier, then make sure that you lock up so that when the midnight bell goes you won't have to get up to do it."

Kakashi was gaping at him and Sasuke walked over, narrowing his eyes. "With a wall surrounding this place, what could possibly scare you enough to make you lock up?" he asked, ready to mentally note everything said. Genma looked frustrated but then he sighed.

"You obviously haven't heard many stories then."

"No, everyone's quite reserved around here. We only know the stories that have spread outside the village," Kakashi said in response, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway. Sasuke did the same on the other side, the two of them staring at the man with piercing gazes. Genma stared right back, unflinching. He had a small stick of wood in his mouth, and it trembled slightly as he bit it with his teeth and moved it around.

"Fine. I'll tell you the most basic story in a nutshell," he relented and stepped inside. They followed him and he sat down in the living area which held a small couch, a table and chairs and a bookshelf. "They say that there are monsters living in the forest, and that they come out at midnight. There have been...accidents...in the past where people out after midnight have been gravely injured. Some were even killed. Legends say that it's monsters, but true or not there's something dangerous lurking out there, and it often finds a way into the village even with our wall. It's for your own safety that you lock your doors," Genma stood up swiftly, leaving the house before they could call him back.

They stared out of the open door for a moment before facing each other.

"So what did you think of that story?" Kakashi asked sceptically. Sasuke snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Cool story bro, needs more dragons and shit," he mumbled, moving back to his bed and flopping down. Kakashi chuckled, closing the door and locking it like Genma suggested. Sure, he didn't believe in monsters but if there were wolves or other creatures lurking about he'd rather not have to face them. He still remembered their earlier encounter with the massive wolf-fox thing that Sasuke saw.

His eyes widened slightly as he remembered a wolf and a fox being mentioned in the sign that Genma translated for them. He shook his head.

'_It's most likely all part of the legend get up,_' he reasoned, moving back to his bed. He heard soft snoring coming from the raven and smiled, knowing Sasuke had fallen asleep. He was tired too, so he would follow him soon.

...

Sasuke woke up, blinking sleep out of his eyes and yawning widely. The room was pitch black and he fumbled around before finding his phone. It read twelve forty-three. Still tired but realizing he was parched, he climbed out of bed. Kakashi was snoring softly in his own cot and Sasuke tip toed out of the room, not cruel enough to wake the other man. He knew that it was hard to get a good rest when on jobs like this. One could never relax properly in a place where they don't feel wanted.

He shuffled through to the kitchen, snatching up a glass he used earlier at dinner to drink from. He rinsed it out and poured himself some water, gulping down the cold liquid and sighing contentedly.

A sound made him tense up, his ears pricked. It sounded like sniffing, but much too loud and rapid to be a human. An animal?

He turned towards the window, wondering if some creature had gotten into the village and was sniffing about for garbage or food. Creeping towards the window, he peered out. The streets were dark and empty, all houses asleep without a single light showing. He squinted, trying to see through the veil of night and find what was snuffling at their door when something moved. It was a shape darker than the night, allowing Sasuke to just barely make it out. It was large, hunched over on all fours. He could vaguely see a pair of pointed ears atop its head, and the outline of fur was distinguishable.

'_It must be a wolf or something similar. I wonder how it got in? Maybe there's a hole somewhere in the gate..._' he watched as the animal continued to sniff at their door and wondered what it smelt. Maybe it was the scent of food that lingered in the kitchen which was right by the door, separated only by an open archway.

He was just contemplating going back to bed when the creature moved again. His breath caught in his throat when it suddenly grew taller, straightening up from a hunch. He saw the fur prickle and shrink; his eyes adjusted to the light just enough to make out the vaguest shapes. The legs were shifting and suddenly a crack met his ears. He winced, recognizing the sound as a bone snapping and unconsciously wrapped his arms around himself, goose bumps rising on his skin as he imagined a broken bone protruding from flesh.

His eyes watched in avid fascination as the once animalistic figure was now standing straight, looking very much like a man. In the dim light of the night, he saw pale hair.

'_Blond?_' he wondered, inching closer to the window to see this strange phenomenon. It was definitely a man standing there, and he didn't appear to be wearing clothes. Sasuke found a small blush working its way onto his cheeks, and he was thankful the night was dark and obscured him from seeing anything indecent. He tried to imagine how it was that he had confused a man and a beast as one.

'_Perhaps he's one of those people who live in the woods...raised by animals and acting like a Wildman?_'

Just then, the man turned and Sasuke gasped aloud. Two vivid blue eyes were staring directly at him through the window, and he felt as if someone had zapped all strength from his body. He couldn't move, staring back at those eyes that were so familiar; they were such an intense blue, but strangely it seemed as if there were two crescent moons reflected in them. A hand pressed against the window, large but slim, and he found his own hand tingling in response. Those eyes never wavered, looking at him as if searching his soul.

Sasuke swallowed heavily, taking a step towards the window and bringing his own hand up. The eyes followed the movement like an owl watching its prey wander through the leaves below. He hesitated briefly, his hand hovering near the window before he pressed his palm flat against the glass, directly over the other hand.

Blue eyes slid to his face, searching him and he stared back, wondering what this strange feeling of peace he felt was. Suddenly, the eyes changed slightly, the corners crinkling and warmth flooding through them. He knew, even if he couldn't visibly see it clearly, that the man on the other side of the window was grinning happily at him. His own lips twitched into a small smile in response, and his hand pressed harder against the glass. He could feel warmth seeping through from the thin separation. This should have scared him, knowing that one hit to the glass would shatter his only protection from this stranger, but he wasn't. He felt calm and safe.

The man pressed his other hand to the glass, leaning closer, and Sasuke caught the tip of his nose. He mimicked the other's movements, both hands now on the glass and he bent down slightly so that their eyes were levelled perfectly. Once more the stunning blue orbs were warm and crinkled at the edges, demonstrating the hidden grin. Sasuke's smile widened; he felt like this was some kind of game one would play with a small child. The warmth in the other's eyes certainly held innocence in it.

A sudden howl from somewhere else made Sasuke jump, his smile dropping in pure surprise. The man's head turned, looking out over the village. Sasuke felt panic surge through him. If there was some kind of vicious creature out there that had hurt and killed villagers before, then this man might be in danger! He tapped on the window, catching the stranger's attention and pointed towards his door.

"Come inside!" he mouthed, not wanting to make too much noise. The man blinked, eyes confused as he tilted his head to the side. Once more Sasuke caught the faintest hint of blond hair in the pathetic light of the stars. "I'll let you in! It's dangerous out there," he mouthed, motioning to the door once more.

The eyes crinkled in amusement and the man shook his head. The hands were pulled back and Sasuke pressed himself closer to the window, watching in horror as the stranger waved to him slightly before starting to walk off to the side.

'_Is he crazy?_' he wondered and heard a snarl from outside. His heart jumped to his throat when he saw several dark shapes stalking through the streets. These were definitely animals. He could see their ragged fur and hear their growls and snarls. His mind didn't focus on the fact that it should've been near impossible for these animals to get inside the village. All he could focus on was that those vicious looking things were heading in the same direction that the stranger had gone.

Heart thumping furiously, Sasuke hurried over to the door. He unlatched it as quietly as he could and slid it open, peering out. The creatures had moved on, leaving the street empty. He stepped out, closing the door behind him. He didn't want Kakashi getting mauled in his sleep. He didn't hate the man that much.

As quietly as he could he started to run after the stranger and the creatures. He could hear their snarling again and edged around a corner, his eyes widening as he saw the man backed against a wall with the animals surrounding him. Despite the obvious threat, there were no sounds of fear or even any hint of fear in the man.

Sasuke swallowed heavily, wondering what to do. Before he could come up with a plan, one of the beasts let out a ferocious growl and charged forwards.

He hadn't realized he was moving until he felt long, razor sharp teeth sinking into his shoulder. Blood sprayed out, splashing up his neck and jaw and his mouth opened in a silent scream of pain. He heard a gasp from behind him, knowing that the man was surprised at his sudden appearance. Pain was spreading through his body and spots of white and black were bursting in his vision as he choked, trying to breathe through the physical agony he felt.

There was another growl, this one different from before and the beast that had bitten him was thrown off, yelping as it landed several feet away. Sasuke collapsed to his knees, blood running down his shoulder. He felt lightheaded, and the world was spinning wildly. He couldn't even tell if he was falling or if the ground just looked like it was coming up to say hi to his face.

Before he could find out, arms had stopped his progress, catching him and turning him over to face the sky. The clouds had finally rolled away, and he saw a silvery gold outline of hair, a shadowy face staring down at him with lips set into a small gape of surprise. Faintly, he thought he saw markings on the man's cheeks, but he was too distracted by those eyes that peered into his. Concern, surprise and a hint of sadness were swimming in those blue crystals, and he smiled up at the stranger.

"R-run," he grunted, the edges of his vision starting to go black. "Don't d-die..."

He was gently placed on the floor, a hand on the back of his neck trailing across his skin as it pulled away. Through his rapidly fading vision he saw the golden haired man stand and look down at him.

"You are different from the rest of them."

Sasuke wanted to berate him for standing around when he could hear the rest of the beasts still there, snarling. With a grimace, he tried to tell the man to stop goofing around and run away.

"Go to sleep," the man said before he could say a word. "Things will be alright in the morning. Just relax...and forget."

Sasuke's eyelids were so heavy. He couldn't stay awake even if he tried. The blurry image of the man hunching, and a distant crack of bones snapping accompanied his slow descent into unconsciousness, finished off with an ethereal howl that reverberated in his soul.

* * *

Shouts and the tolling of a bell met his ears, and he groaned, his eyes twitching before he managed to slide them open. He was met with the sight of a wooden roof, and it was then that he registered the lumpy softness under his back.

A flash of blue eyes, blood and pain echoed in his memory and he sat up with a gasp. Confusion spread through him when he found that he was not lying out on dirt, covered in blood and dying, but instead in his bed in the house they were given. Kakashi was in his bed too, also sitting up and yawning widely as he scratched at his head.

"I wonder what all the noise is for," he mumbled, throwing his blanket off and getting to his feet. He looked over at Sasuke, a brow rising. "You okay? You look a bit pale...okay well, more than usual," he added.

Sasuke pressed a hand to his shoulder, feeling no pain. He pulled his shirt down, straining to see but there wasn't a single mark.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke took deep breaths, running a hand through his hair. "I...I had a...really vivid dream I guess," he muttered. It must have been a dream. He was in his bed, alive and without a scratch. But the dream had been so real!

"Come on, let's go see what the commotion is about," Kakashi suggested, slipping on his shoes and a jacket. Sasuke followed suit, glancing at the kitchen window. He paused, squinting his eyes to see better.

There were hand prints on the window.

As if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him he gasped, moving to the window and staring at the faint smudges of hand marks. There were two on the inside and two on the outside.

"But...what?" he muttered, confused. Had he only dreamt the part with the wolves? In that case, what had happened to the stranger?

"Sasuke, come on! Looks like something big happened! Everyone's gathering around the corner!"

'_Around the corner...that's where it...no way,_' he thought, following Kakashi. His heart thudded loudly in his ears as he turned, seeing a gathered crowd of disturbed villagers.

"Out of the way! Elder Danzou is here!" Genma called, shooing a path for the old man cluttering along. As the crowd dispersed somewhat, the two journalists saw what had drawn all the attention.

Blood.

Lots of it.

And there were several bodies strewn in the area. Sasuke felt like his stomach had dropped to the floor and run away screaming. He recognized those bodies as the wolves from the night before. Their jaws were gaping, some snapped with blood dribbling down their furry skin. Deep gashes were in their sides, claw marks across their bodies. One looked like its throat had been torn out. And the blood was everywhere.

Sasuke's hand came up to his shoulder again, feeling the spot that he had gotten the bite. But it wasn't there, and he couldn't feel any kind of reminiscent pain that it had ever happened.

'_What's going on?_'

"Sir, it looks like these wolves got into a fight among themselves," Genma said, inspecting one of the animal corpses. "There injuries were definitely caused by another, stronger animal."

"But there," Danzou said, pointing to a spray of blood on the ground. Sasuke gulped. It was the same area he had rushed to when he got bitten. "That is not animal blood. The colour does not match that of these wolves. That is human blood."

Shocked gasps started to scatter among the crowd and people looked right and left.

"Is anyone missing?" Genma asked loudly, looking around. "Is everyone in your family safe? Did anyone venture outside last night past midnight?"

Sasuke kept quiet.

Villagers started to talk amongst themselves, calling out names and receiving replies as they searched for whose blood it was. Sasuke stared at the splatter, his face pale as he recalled the events of the night before. How was it possible? He didn't have a scratch on him, and that indicated he'd been dreaming, yet here was the proof that it had been real!

His eyes widened slightly. Had he perhaps only dreamt the part where he stepped in? Had he actually watched the stranger get attacked before running back to his bed and forcing himself to forget his cowardice?

He rubbed his shoulder, wondering on that possibility.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" Kakashi asked again, looking over at him in concern. "What did you dream about?"

"...Nothing important," Sasuke mumbled. He studied one of the wolf corpses, seeing the deep claw marks in its side. That was definitely made by an animal. But what animal? He looked at another one that had a broken jaw, and saw that one of its front fangs had been broken, the tip to the middle missing.

"No one is missing?" Genma asked the crowd and received confirmations from all around. He looked at the blood and then at Danzou. "Sir?"

Danzou hummed thoughtfully, his visible eye staring at the patch on the ground. "...We shall have to wait and see if anyone comes forward with news of a missing person. Or perhaps there was an outsider in the village last night that fell prey to the lure of the moon," he said.

Shocked gasps sounded from all the villagers and they began to converse in hushed whispers, casting fearful glances towards the wall and the forest beyond.

Sasuke and Kakashi shared glances before making their way through the crowd towards Danzou.

"Sir, sorry to bug you so early, but could you perhaps explain what you mean by that last statement?" Kakashi asked pleasantly, pulling out a notepad. Sasuke stood behind him, hands in his pockets.

Danzou turned to them, regarding them quietly. Genma walked over, a stern expression on his face.

"I'm sorry but it's much too early for this! Besides, can't you see we've got a bit of a problem—"

"It is alright, Genma," Danzou interrupted and the man fell silent, nodding. "What I meant, gentleman, is that there is something lurking in those woods. It is something unnatural and dangerous, and it is out for blood. It is something that, given what we've seen, thrives in the light of the moon. It is a creature that uses that heavenly entity to lure the weak of heart and mind, entrapping them in its snares and devouring them. It is truly...a monster."

The old man turned and walked away, leaving two stunned journalist and a deeply frowning assistant in his wake. Genma stood there for a moment, his frown dark and his eyes shadowed by something haunted. Sasuke wondered what was bugging him; it looked as if he was dying to say something, but was far too conflicted and, dare he say, scared to do so.

"I must be going," Genma eventually said, and without a backwards glance at them he followed after Danzou.

Kakashi and Sasuke shared another look.

"Well, looks like today might prove to be interesting," Kakashi sighed. Sasuke nodded, looking back towards the disaster zone and placing a hand over his shoulder. He let out a small breath, massaging the area he had been bitten, or thought he had. His fingers pressed something under his skin and he winced violently, feeling a shock of pain slice through him.

"Ah, shit!" he cursed, gripping his shoulder as he felt it throb and sting.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" Kakashi asked, holding his hands out to him lest he fall over. Sasuke hissed slightly, feeling the strange lump under his skin. It was quite low, just below the area he'd been touching before. And every time he pressed too hard, it would send another slicing wave of pain through his shoulder.

"Nothing!" he gasped in response to Kakashi's inquiry. "Just...pinched a nerve or something."

"...Maybe you should go have a nap. You've been acting weird since you woke up," Kakashi said, waving him towards the house. "Maybe you didn't get enough beauty sleep and so your brain is short-circuiting in your ugliness."

"Ugh, go drown in a lake," Sasuke groaned, but walked away towards the house. A nap did sound nice, but he had something to do before then.

Walking into the house, he closed the door behind him and made his way into the small bathroom. A mirror was positioned over the sink, next to the shower and the toilet. He hissed again as he moved his shoulder and pulled off his shirt. Turning, he craned his neck to see his back in the mirror.

'_There_,' he thought, locating the bump in his shoulder. It was an odd shape, slightly curved and located under his skin. It was too deep to be a splinter of some kind, and felt far too solid when he pressed on it. Not to mention the pain.

Whatever it was, it wasn't supposed to be there.

Biting his lip, he looked around the bathroom, seeing nothing. Walking into the bedroom he rifled through his bags, questioning his own resolve as he found the object he was looking for and pulled it out.

Staring at the small switchblade he had gotten ages ago, he took a shaky breath and walked back to the bathroom. Testing the edge of the knife against his finger, he was both pleased and anxious to see it was still sharp and efficient. He turned again, looking over his shoulder and taking another shaky breath as he pulled the knife up, awkwardly holding it to the area on his shoulder.

With a gasp that held the faintest whimper in it, he pressed the tip of the blade into his skin at the top of the strange lump. It pierced through, and blood began to seep out, dripping down his back in slow drops. He panted, pressing harder and sinking the blade in deeper. Sucking in a breath he began to slice down through the skin over the lump, grunting in pain. More blood ran down and he blinked his eyes to rid them of the moisture. He didn't like pain, and this was hurting like hell. But he needed to get that lump out. He needed to see what it was and figure out how it got there.

Letting out a low whimper, he finally finished cutting an opening slit over the lump and dropped the knife, gasping and resting shaky hands on the sink. Working past the pain, he reached around again and pressed his fingers on either side of the lump, digging forwards to coax the foreign thing out. It hurt and stung and blood was now staining the tips of his fingers as well as the waistline of his pants, but he bit his lip and kept at it. Finally, something began to emerge from the self-made exit wound, and he pressed harder, waiting for it to come out enough. When it was visible, he grabbed at it with the tips of his fingers, managing to get a hold of it and pull it all the way out. A soft cry accompanied the move and he pressed his unoccupied hand over the cut, stemming the blood flow.

Breathing heavily, he held the object in his hand. It felt hard, but also seemed to be light. A hollow bone of some kind?

He held it up, grimacing when it was covered in blood. He also needed to put something over that cut. Placing the bloody object on the side of the sink he searched the house for a medic-kit, thankfully finding one on Kakashi's nightstand. Grabbing some gauze and pads, he washed the cut, pleased to see that it would heal fine. Awkwardly putting the gauze on and taping it down, he patted the area and was satisfied when no unexpected pain greeted the action.

Turning his attention to the item on the sink, he turned on the tap and washed it, rubbing away the blood with his fingers and revealing the true form of the object.

His breath caught in his throat as he held it up to his eyes, examining it. There was no mistake.

It was a broken tooth from one of the wolves outside. From the wolf that bit him the night before.

'_...What happened after I blacked out?_'

* * *

**:) And so we begin the journey of Cursed... Hopefully, I'll be able to update next Monday. I'd love to know what you think of this in a review! ^_^ Until next time!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we are with the next chapter! :D I was pleased with the response to the first! (I'm sorry if I didn't reply to your reviews, but last week I got a little swamped with other things, so I didn't really get around to it. :/ I hope to avoid that this time around)**

**This chapter isn't as long as the last, but plenty happens. :) (plus the chapter after this is another long one so meh)  
**

**Same warnings and disclaimer as before.  
**

* * *

Light rain drops pattered on the ground, darkening the soil slowly and gradually turning areas into muddy patches that threatened to trap anything weak enough to get caught in its suction. The leaves rustled as the rain pushed past and splattered over their dark surfaces, and with every small gust of wind the droplets would cascade anew, sliding off of their ledges and adding to the mud below.

The animals of the forest were hiding away from the rain, curling in their dens and nests, shielding themselves from the cold by huddling together or burrowing further into their own warmth.

A bush rustled violently before a wet, tanned hand pushed aside the highest branches. A naked foot emerged, squelching into the mud as the person pushed through. The muscled torso, leading down to a slimmer waist and strong legs, shimmered under the constant streams of rainwater that dripped over it. Blond hair was matted down over intense blue eyes, and a frown was curving the lips on a scarred face.

The man stepped further into the small clearing, unconcerned with his state of undress. He surveyed the area, taking in the minimal amounts of shelter available from the storm. A sigh, hidden by the hiss of the rain, slipped out of his mouth before he continued to trudge through the mud. He pushed through more bushes and ducked under low hanging branches before finally finding a large oak tree that towered above the rest. The trunk was thick and wide, but right before him was an opening that led to a hollow centre. The frown on his face was replaced with a grin and he hurried over to the alcove, sliding in and sitting down in the dry spot, relishing the warmth of the enclosed space.

He shook his head, droplets flying about as his hair swayed and styled oddly, but he cared little for it as he shook himself off, wiping away the rain on his skin until he was somewhat free of their tickling torment. He leant back against the trunk of the tree, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. The scent of the oak tree was calming and he was able to focus on it, temporarily ignoring the faint aching in his right arm and the throb coming from his lower calf.

When he had attained the sense of peace he desired, he opened his eyes and focused on his right arm. The deep gash that began just above his wrist and ended at his elbow was bleeding freely still, having no rain to wash away the blood now that he was sheltered. It dripped down his tan skin, spotting the floor with crimson circles. He sighed again and looked at his leg, seeing the deep teeth marks embedded in his skin.

He noticed that those marks were bleeding less, and decided to focus on his arm first. He turned, holding the limb up to his mouth. Carefully, his tongue darted out and lapped at the opening in his skin. It hurt. The faint brush of his tongue, jerking against the sliced folds of the open wound, sent small sparks of pain through his arm. But he persisted, smearing the sides of the gash with saliva. Slowly, the skin began to heat up and he pulled away, grunting when the pain increased as the skin started to stretch. The folds reached towards each other like old friends, and the moment the two ragged edges of skin touched again, they began to meld together like threads of string criss-crossing repeatedly, tugging closer and closer until the different lines were hardly noticeable or non-existent.

He groaned as the wound sewed itself up from the bottom to the top, slowly and gaining more pain with every stitch of flesh. When it was finally over, he slumped against the walls of the tree trunk, breathing deeply. Several drops of sweat dripped down from his forehead, mixing with the lingering drops of rain. They traced his cheeks, sliding down his jaw and weaving over his neck. His chest moved up and down with each steady breath he took as he let his arm relax and turned his sights to the marks in his leg. They would be more difficult to heal, as they were difficult to reach.

He let out a soft groan, leaning his head back and thinking about the incident that caused him to gain his troublesome injuries.

A flash of moonlit skin, inky black hair and wide, glimmering onyx eyes passed through his mind and his hand rose up without his realization, palm flattening against an imaginary surface. He recalled the intrigue that shone inside those dark eyes and the way the thin lips had stretched, almost painfully, into the smallest of smiles. It was clear that a smile was something those lips did not indulge in often. Something in his chest stirred at the thought that he had, with nothing but a grin of his own, encouraged that smile to blossom.

The images of the smile were replaced, splattered with a spray of blood while the intrigued eyes changed to a look of pain. His hand curled into a fist while his lips pulled down, white teeth revealed and sharpened canines sliding over his lip in agitation.

The blood-covered memory changed again as he recalled seeing the owner of those dark eyes lying on the ground, bleeding and obviously dying slowly from the deep wound. And yet those eyes had shone with relief at seeing him standing, unharmed. Relief and frustration.

Why frustration?

"_Run…"_

That's what the owner of those eyes had said through the pain and blood. Run. Flee. Escape.

Had he been frustrated because he didn't run?

Blue eyes slowly opened while his hand fell to the floor. His lips were parted slightly in contemplation as he faded back into the present, the image of that man's relieved eyes and small, blood-stained smile still burning in his mind's eye.

"He was….really different," he murmured softly.

Slowly he turned his attention to his leg, now bleeding more than before at the lack of attention and care. Sighing, he pushed aside thoughts of the night before and focused on caring for the wound.

The hiss of the rain muffled the sounds of bones cracking and rearranging that came from the hollow alcove of the old oak tree in the forest.

* * *

"Our village is a peaceful place as long as we obey the rules set down by the elder. They are put in place for our own protection. After all, there are some vicious bests roaming the forests!" the old lady said, waving her cane around as she spoke.

Kakashi skilfully dodged the flying object without pausing in his note-taking, and he offered a hidden smile to the woman.

"I see. So, could you tell me these rules?" he asked.

"Well, the obvious ones are not to wander out in the forest, and lock all doors and windows at night! Then, let's see, we must not leave any kind of offerings outside that would attract the beasts—" the woman went on to list the various rules as Kakashi dutifully took notes. His grey eyes slid from the notepad to the silent young man beside him and a contemplative frown appeared beneath his mask.

'_Sasuke has been very quiet since this morning. Surely he wasn't that disturbed by the blood? He's always been the type to handle those sorts of situations well.'_

Sasuke stood nearby, oblivious to the thoughts in his partner's head. His notepad was held limply in his hand while his eyes were unfocused, gazing out towards the large wall surrounding the village. His mouth was opened slightly, the hints of his teeth visible as he stood still. Kakashi jotted down another note before carefully glancing at him again, a crease line of worry disrupting the skin on his forehead as he noticed that Sasuke seemed to be somewhere else entirely.

"Thank you for your time, miss," he said, bowing his head to the old lady who nodded and started to trudge down the road, still waving her stick from time to time as she rambled on about beasts and the dangers of the forest.

Kakashi flipped his notebook shut, having gotten enough to start writing something for the day. He turned and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He almost had a heart attack when Sasuke ducked away from him as if he'd been burned.

"Whoa! Geez, what's got you so tense?" he said, looking at the near panicked look on Sasuke's face.

Sasuke blinked, calming his racing heart by breathing in and out slowly. He had been so lost in thought that Kakashi's sudden touch had almost made his heart stop. Slowly he straightened, clearing his throat awkwardly. He knew he was acting strange, but how could he act normal after what had happened? He was still puzzling over the night before, trying to figure out how it was that he seemed to have been there and gotten bitten by one of the wolves, and yet he didn't have any evidence of a wound save for the chip of tooth he had extracted from his back?

"Sorry I'm just…a little distracted," he muttered. Kakashi's unimpressed look made him frown. "I've got a lot on my mind, alright!"

Kakashi sighed, knowing that trying to get an answer out of Sasuke was like trying to convince a nudist to stitch clothes to their skin. He slid his notepad into his pocket and folded his arms over his chest.

"Obviously something's on your mind. Tell you what; I'll start on the article for now. You go take a long walk around the village without worrying about work and clear your mind. We'll start working properly when you get back," he suggested. Sasuke stared at him, thinking over the offer. Slowly, he nodded.

"Yeah. That might help a bit. Thanks," he said. Kakashi waved away his gratitude.

"Besides, it's not like anything you write is special. I can handle the opening article myself."

Sasuke scowled while Kakashi grinned mischievously, and with a huff he pushed past the masked man.

"Try not to scare off little kids!" Kakashi called after him, snickering when Sasuke gave him the finger as he walked away. "Well, better get writing," he mumbled, walking back towards their house.

Sasuke stuck his hands and notepad into his pocket, absently looking around the village as he walked. Everywhere he looked people were busy with one thing or another. Women were hanging clothes upon lines or gardening, men were building sheds or new houses, or else helping take care of the gardens. Children were gathered at the village school, playing in the fenced off area where they went during their breaks.

This village felt so different from the city, not only because of the setting but also because of how they went about things. It almost seemed like a different time period, since there was little technology here, if any. He was somewhat surprised that they even had proper plumbing systems and electricity.

He got closer and closer to the village gate, and as he looked ahead he could see the forest beyond the large gates. The trees looked calm and serene, leaves shimmering slightly from the rain that had come and gone earlier. The sky was still grey, clouds slowly drifting overhead as if taunting them with the possibility of more rain.

Sasuke slowed to a stop as he reached the gate, noticing that the guards were sitting to one side under a small awning, playing a card game. They hadn't noticed him.

He thought back to how everyone was scared of the forest. How there were 'rules' put into place and all of them spoke of staying clear of the trees and not attracting anything inside the forest. What was in these woods that were so terrifying? Sure, he could see the reason to be cautious of the wolves lurking around, but this was an entire village! They had weapons, whether make-shift or professional. They had barricades and ways to protect themselves. Why were they terrified?

He placed a hand on his shoulder, over the gauze patch that covered his wound. The chip of tooth was sitting in his pocket and he fiddled with it, reminding himself that it was real.

This village had several legends of werewolves and the like. Sasuke didn't believe in werewolves, but every legend began somewhere. And wasn't it his job to find the source of the legend as well as to write out a summary of it for their magazine. Truthfully, his curiosity extended from work and moved into a personal area. He _wanted_ to know the truth because he felt it was the only way he would ever be able to explain the previous night.

He glanced at the guards again, waiting until they had both become engrossed in their game before he carefully eased along the side of the wall, out the gate. Glancing back one last time he snuck into the forest, being careful not to jostle the branches and leaves too much lest he alert them to his presence.

Once he had gotten a safe distance, he took the time to observe his surroundings. The forest floor was muddy and wet, droplets of rain still dripping off of the leaves of the trees. The air was soggy, and he shivered at the chill, wrapping his jacket tighter around himself. Picking his way across the ground, he examined the lush greenery around him. It was so vivid and bright; it was alive. This forest was teeming with life of all kinds, from bugs to birds to mammals that scampered out of his way. Sasuke was a city man himself, but he could see the absolute beauty of the place. Why would the villagers fear it? Even with the 'dangerous' creatures lurking, this forest looked like a miniature garden of heaven. He ran his hand over a tree trunk, feeling the damp bark dent under his touch. Something twittered and he looked up, spotting a small sparrow sitting on a branch. Its head twitched, beady eye looking at him while he looked back.

He smiled.

This forest made him feel peaceful and calm. It was tranquil, like a meditation garden. Had he grown up near a forest like this, he knew he would've loved to spend his time sitting in the trees or under the shades, reading the books he cherished as a child. It would've been a million times better than sitting in his small room, curtains barely drawn to let the muggy sunlight in.

A twig snapped and he spun around, eyes widening when he saw a deer standing several feet away. Its dark eyes were watching him cautiously as he watched back. Large antlers spread out over its head, the sleek fur on its body shimmering from the rain that had caressed it earlier and was still drying. It was magnificent.

Sasuke took a slow step towards it, easing his hand out. He wasn't an expert on animals at all, but he knew not to make any sudden moves. The deer's head titled slightly, as if questioning his actions and he took another careful step forward.

He stood for a while, trying not to feel foolish at holding his hand out to the creature like a moron. But his patience was rewarded when the deer stepped towards him. He smiled, waiting as it took little steps closer and closer until it was leaning its neck out, sniffing at his fingertips. With careful movements he edged closer and let his hand slide up its nose, feeling the short fur. The deer watched him, eyelids closing briefly at the gentle pet. Sasuke couldn't help but smile. There was always something magically satisfying about gaining the trust of a wild animal.

The underbrush nearby rustled, and the deer pulled back sharply while Sasuke did the same. Both of their heads turned to the source of the noise, and a split second later the deer was galloping away, leaving Sasuke to back up as the bushes rustled more and more.

He was starting to think the deer had the right idea when a clawed paw appeared from the leaves, and he didn't wait before turning and running, pushing aside branches and jumping over small obstacles.

He heard the new creature following and cursed at his stupidity. He should've brought something to protect himself with.

His foot caught on a root and he let out a sharp cry as he went sprawling forwards, landing in the mud face first. But he didn't allow himself to linger in the dirt, pushing himself up, wiping his eyes and then rushing forwards. His face was dirty, his clothes were wet and filthy, but he ignored the discomfort to focus on losing whatever creature was following him. He wondered if it was another wolf like the ones last night, and hoped that this time he would be able to escape without getting his shoulder mauled…or any part of his body really.

The trees vanished and he had only half a second to suck in a surprised breath before he felt himself falling as the ground vanished from beneath his feet. A short scream escaped him as he plummeted down from the cliff, heading straight for a river below. Ice cold water splashed around him, soaking him and pulling him down into its freezing depths. He lost all breath upon impact, cold pricking at his skin like millions of needles as he fought to regain his sense of mind and find the surface. His hands flailed around under the water, bubbles cascading from his mouth as he fought to hold the already minimal air in his lungs.

He couldn't find the surface, and he was panicking at this point. His clothes were weighing him down, and he was starting to lose consciousness.

Something splashed into the water nearby, but whatever it was, it was lost to the multitude of mayhem he had created around himself with his struggles. Something wrapped around his waist and he worried that he was going to be killed by some sea creature. Were there even things like miniature-octopi or similar creatures in rivers here? He didn't think so, but something had him held tight and was now pulling him somewhere.

The cold suddenly increased as his head burst through the surface of the water, and he took a loud and highly desperate gulp of air, replenishing the air that had left his lungs. There was splashing as whatever held him paddled them towards the shore, he guessed. He couldn't see, his eyes stinging from the river water washing into them. He was still struggling to breathe even as he was tossed carelessly onto the rocky shore, chest heaving violently as he coughed up water and sucked in air.

Stones shifted around him as his saviour moved to sit beside him, and he rolled onto his back, trying to see past his burning eyes and his wet hair. Raising a weak and shaking hand, he wiped away the dark locks and blinked rapidly to clear his fuzzy vision.

Once more his breath left him when he was faced with a familiar, furry face and intense blue eyes.

"Wha—" he breathed, pushing himself up to his elbows and staring at the large wolf-fox creature that sat before him. Even now he couldn't really tell what it was, exactly. It had to be some kind of cross-breed between the two. It just didn't fit in either category!

Those blue eyes were staring at him intently. Suddenly, the creature sneezed violently, and it was then that Sasuke noticed its fur was wet and dripping onto the stones. He pushed himself up further, awed at the creature before him. Hesitantly, he raised a hand and held it out. The animal looked at it shortly before leaning forward, sniffing his palm and giving a brief lick to his skin.

"…You saved me?" he asked quietly, letting his hand run over the side of the creature's face. Its eyes fluttered closed at his touch and he felt a little bubble of joy in his chest at once again winning the obvious trust of this fantastic creature. He massaged the wet fur, feeling the softness of its skin even with the water clumping the strands.

"Thank you," he mumbled and the creature shook its head suddenly, splashing water droplets over him and the ground. He chuckled despite himself and held up his hands when it came closer, black nose poking at his cheek as it sniffed him curiously. He allowed it to sniff him; even baring with the nudges it gave him. From over its shoulder he could see its tail starting to wag, sweeping the ground before swishing through the air happily as it nudged his cheek again.

"Okay, okay!" he chuckled, pushing its large head away and wiping at his cheek with a wet sleeve. "Stop getting your snot all over me," he reprimanded even though he was sure it couldn't understand him.

To his surprise, it snorted as if amused at his words and then scraped its nose across his cheek, snorting again as it did so and getting his cheek wet again. He stared at it, wide eyed before letting out a sound of disgust and wiping at his cheek.

"That's so gross!"

The animal's body shook, a soft huffing sound coming from its mouth and he could've sworn it was laughing at him. Wiping his cheek, he pushed back some of his hair and studied it carefully. It looked just like it did when he first saw it on the road. Its fur was a ruddy orange-red, shaggy and long. Its ears were also long, far too big to be the ears of a wolf, but certainly right for the ears of a fox. And its face seemed just a bit too narrow too, plus the whiskers. While the shape of its body looked like a wolf, its head resembled more of a fox, as did its tail.

He reached out, stroking its head and scratching behind its ears. A laugh rumbled out of his throat when its eyelids fluttered wildly and its tail thumped heavily on the ground.

"Like that, huh?" he mumbled, scratching some more and enjoying the way it responded to his affections with more tail wagging and a small whine of approval. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. He had fallen quite a ways, and was thankful that there was a river at the bottom or else he'd have died instantly. The river was strong, splashing against the rocky edges and washing away random pieces of wood or small little things that fluttered down from the forest.

Sasuke pushed himself up to his feet, wincing when he felt a bruise on his ankle ache. He must have hit it on the way down, or perhaps when the creature was pulling him out of the water. His fuzzy companion perked, looking at him with its head tilted to the side. Sasuke took another look around, trying to find a way back up to the top so that he could head back. Undoubtedly Kakashi would start getting suspicious, and there was no guarantee that the village would send out a search party for him if it involved going into the 'forbidden' woods.

"I suppose I could try to climb up?" he mumbled, looking at the jagged cliff edge. But he quickly shook the idea from his mind. The rocks were still wet from the earlier rainfall, and there was a high chance he would slip and fall, this time landing on the ground rather than in the river. He did not want to try and move with a broken bone or seven.

"How to get back?" he hummed, crossing his arms. He felt a nudge on his thigh and looked down, seeing the foxy animal bumping its head against his leg. "What is it?"

It sniffed slightly before trotting ahead, tail swaying slightly. Sasuke watched as it walked towards a large boulder before pausing, turning its head to look back at him expectantly. After a moment he realized it wanted him to follow.

Swallowing, he trailed after it, arriving at the boulder and seeing a trail leading into the forest.

"Is this a way back?" he asked, more to himself than anything. There was a small yip from the animal and he looked down in surprise as it tugged at his pants and then began to walk into the forest, pushing through low shrubs. He quickly followed, not wanting to fall behind and get lost even more.

As they travelled, Sasuke noticed something strange.

There was no noise aside from theirs. Not a bird was twittering, and he couldn't see a single critter anywhere. Where had all the animals gone? Why was it so quiet in this part of the forest?

He looked around, trying to see if there was a single form of forest life, but nothing was there. It creeped him out and he walked faster, trailing right behind the animal that was leading him. A sudden slash of paranoia washed over him, and he wondered if this was a trap. Was this creature leading him to its den? Was this the reason villagers stayed away from the forest?

He stopped, his breathing quicker than before. If this was the creature that terrorised the village, then he was screwed. He was lost, in a foreign forest and he had no clue how to get back.

Sensing his sudden hesitance, the fox creature turned its head, peering at him curiously. Sasuke stared right back, his face fading into an emotionless mask. His mind was working furiously, however. If this creature was the thing that terrorised the village, then why had it saved him? Why jump into the stream and pull him out?

"…Are we almost there?" he asked, as if it could understand him. It blinked intense blue eyes and trotted back over to him, looking up. Sasuke swallowed. This thing was huge; it came up to his stomach, and that was only up to its jaw. Looking down, Sasuke waited as the creature continued to stare at him meaningfully. Slowly, he felt the tension leaving his body as he gazed into the fox creature's eyes. There was something in them, swirling around, that put him at ease. As if they were saying 'trust me, I won't lead you wrong'. He let out a breath, closing his eyes briefly. There was faint rustling, indicating the animal had started to move again. He opened his eyes slowly and blinked when he saw the tip of its tail vanish between two bushes in front of him.

"Hey, wait!"

He rushed after it, shoving aside the shrubbery and stumbling over the ground. More rustling in front of him and he hurried to catch up, not wanting to get lost all over again. He saw its furry body duck under a log and hurried to climb over it, seeing as he wouldn't be able to duck that low. When he cleared the obstacle and turned, his eyes widened at seeing the familiar walls of the village.

"I'm…back?" he mumbled, looking left and right. The creature had disappeared, nowhere to be seen. Sasuke looked behind him, wondering if it was standing somewhere watching, but there wasn't a hint of red fur amidst the greenery and brown soil.

For a long moment he felt upset, wishing that he could've seen it once more. He shivered, still wet from the river, and started to make his way towards the gates. He had no doubt that the guards would spot him, and even if he did sneak past, the villagers would see his soggy state and inquire. And it wasn't as if he could say he 'fell into a swimming pool' or anything. He would have to confess to being in the forest.

His eyes narrowed as he glanced back, shivers increasing as the cold finally caught up with him. It was as if the presence of the fox creature had kept him warm, and now that he was alone, the cold returned with a vengeance.

'_I may have to confess to being in the forest, but they don't need to know how far…or what I saw,_' he decided. Yes, he was going to keep his little adventure a secret to the village.

'_However….I think it's time I dig a little deeper into the story of the forest._'

* * *

**:D I hope you're enjoying it! I'm sorry if there's any mistakes, feel free to point them out! And as always, a review with your thoughts would be wonderful! Until next Monday!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we go! The next chapter! Now, I'm hoping I'll be able to keep to the whole 'Update every Monday' scheme, but since this is my last week of total freedom, I'm not sure if I'll be able to. I'll try, of course I will, but I ask in advance to please be forgiving if I'm unable to update that quickly. Sorry in advance, and thanks for understanding!**

**Same warnings and disclaimer as before.  
**

* * *

Kakashi's nimble fingers worked away at his laptop, the ticking of keys the only noise in the otherwise silent bedroom. He glanced at the time as he typed and paused, seeing that it had been over an hour since Sasuke went for his little 'walk'. He hadn't expected the man to take so long, and he pondered on whether or not he should start worrying. Just as he decided that a little bit of concern was appropriate, he heard talking outside the front door. The deep timbre of Sasuke's voice was audible and Kakashi sighed.

He'd started worrying for nothing.

Pushing aside his laptop, he strolled to the front door, pausing when he heard Genma's slightly irritated voice speaking up in Sasuke's silence.

"—Told you that going into the forest is dangerous!"

"Hn, and I was aware of your warning. I just went for a short walk and tripped over a root into a pond. It's not unheard of, you know."

Kakashi snorted. Sasuke tripping? Into a pond? What kind of a joke was he making? Laughing, he opened the door only for his laugh to die in his throat as he took in the dripping wet form of the young raven.

"….Holy shit, did you really fall into a pond?" he asked, aghast. Sasuke sighed irritably, his lips turning blue from cold and his hair still plastered to his head.

"Yes, dammit. I was walking, looking up at the birds in the trees, my foot caught on a root and I fell into a pond hidden behind a bush. You all act like the world's coming to an end!" he grouched.

"Uchiha Sasuke tripped and fell into a pond," Kakashi repeated. "That sounds like the start of the apocalypse to me."

Sasuke let out a growl, but the effect was lessened when his entire body exploded into a bout of shivers and he wrapped wet arms around himself. Kakashi turned and quickly went to grab a towel, finding the largest one he could. When he got back to the door, Genma and Sasuke were locked in a staring match.

"….Did you…see anything while you were in the forest?" Genma asked softly, his eyes trained on Sasuke's face. Kakashi slowed in his steps, watching as the corner of Sasuke's lips turned down ever so slightly, unnoticeable unless you knew to watch.

"Aside from things one would expect, like trees and birds, nothing. Why?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes, pinning Genma with an intense glare. "Is there something I wasn't supposed to see in there? Something the village is hiding?"

Genma bristled, teeth clenching around the small sliver of wood he seemed to always have in his mouth. "No, but it's dangerous out there! This is the last warning; if you go out into the forest, you _will not return_!" he said, jabbing a finger in Sasuke's chest before turning and striding away, coat billowing out behind him.

"That's not as scary a threat as you might hope since I ALREADY _DID_!" Sasuke yelled after him, leaning sideways to further his yell and make sure Genma heard it. The man faltered in his steps before stomping away with renewed anger, making Sasuke chuckle darkly.

The Uchiha turned and blinked when a towel was thrust at him, and he gladly took it, drying his hair as he kicked off his soggy shoes and socks and walked into the house, shedding his wet clothes and letting Kakashi put them in the wash basket.

"So," Kakashi began once Sasuke was nude and wrapping the towel around himself, "…What did you see?"

Sasuke turned his head slightly, still shivering but no longer wet at least. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come now Sasuke, I've worked with you and your brother for years; I know when you're lying through those pretty little teeth of yours," Kakashi said nonchalantly, sitting down on his bed and resting his arms on his knees. "You obviously saw something…something that you knew you weren't supposed to see, or at least something you thought you weren't. So what was it?"

Sasuke scowled, unhappy that Kakashi knew him well enough to call out his lie. He studied the silver-haired man before him carefully, wondering if he could trust Kakashi. Then again, out of everyone around him at the moment, Kakashi was his biggest ally. After all, they were in this whole thing together right? Work or no, if something went wrong…; if they were put in danger, surely Kakashi would have his back.

"I saw the same creature we met at the road," he mumbled. Kakashi's eyes widened and he turned to fully to face Sasuke, intrigued.

"The same one? Are you sure?"

"Positive. It was the exact same creature," he said and then trailed off, absently tapping his exposed calf with the tips of his cold fingers. "…It saved my life."

Kakashi blinked rapidly. "Come again?"

Sasuke turned his head slightly, looking through the hall towards the kitchen. In his mind's eye he could see those exquisite blue eyes, glowing at him from both the face of a man and the face of a creature.

"I was walking through the forest when I heard something coming towards me. I didn't see what it was, but I saw claws and ran. It chased after me, and I ended up running off the edge of a cliff without realizing it due to the trees and bushes," Sasuke shivered slightly and reached behind him, yanking his blanket off of the bed and wrapping it around himself to fight off the oncoming waves of cold. "There was a river at the bottom, and I couldn't figure out which way was up. I almost blacked out, but that creature jumped in after me and dragged me out. It also led me back to the village," he finished, sniffing slightly.

Kakashi let out a low whistle, tilting back and cupping his chin in his hand. "Sounds like it's not only huge and strange, but quite intelligent too. Perhaps it's what the villagers are afraid of?" he suggested and Sasuke shrugged.

"It could be. Although, I don't see why. It never hurt me; if anything it seemed extremely friendly."

"Maybe when it first appeared, it was quite vicious and so they feared it and developed stories about it? It could have become tamer over time?" Kakashi wondered and Sasuke shrugged again, moving to grab some clothes. He leant over, the blanket slipping down his shoulders briefly.

"What the hell is that?" Kakashi asked suddenly, jumping over and jabbing a finger onto the gauze pad on Sasuke's shoulder. The raven flinched violently, feeling water seep out and he realized he'd forgotten about it.

"It's nothing!" he said quickly, avoiding eye contact. "I banged my shoulder in the shower earlier and cut myself a bit on the corner of the door. It's fine."

"You're not that clumsy Sasuke!" Kakashi argued, but Sasuke glared at him and he sighed heavily. "Alright fine! Don't tell me. But be careful! Itachi will have my ass if you get too hurt."

Sasuke just grunted, turning and searching for his clothes again. "How is the article coming along?" he asked, spreading out his outfit and dropping his blanket.

"I've got the intro, as well as some basic outlines of the stories done. Unless we get someone to give us more than 'there's a monster lurking about' then this article is going to be very boring," Kakashi said, sitting back down and pulling his laptop towards him. He blinked when he noticed he had an email and opened it up. "Ah, Itachi wants to know how things are going."

"Tell him they're fine. I'm going to go out and try to get some more research on these stories, alright?" Sasuke pulled his shirt over his head and straightened it out. He grabbed his notepad and pen and tucked it into his pocket before snatching his jacket.

Kakashi waved at him as he left. "Don't go running off the edge of any more cliffs now!"

Sasuke gave him the finger before shutting the door behind him and walking out into the street. By this time the village was working and alive, and he passed several people hurrying through the dirt roads. Some of them he recognized from his earlier interviews, and others were faces he hadn't been able to speak to. He wandered past several houses and towards the market district, taking out his notepad to jot down a few points on how the village seemed to work. He passed a vegetable stand, a fish stand and a little linen stand before something caught his eye. It was a narrow pathway between two dark stalls, hard to spot if you weren't watching carefully. He tilted his head, trying to see where it led but it vanished around the back of the market. Glancing around he saw that everyone nearby was preoccupied and paying him no attention. Trying to appear as casual as possible, he edged his way towards it, looking around quickly before ducking down the pathway and following it.

It led him out of the market, through the back areas of both houses and stalls. It looked like no one walked this way judging by the overgrowth of weeds and flowers.

'_But there was definitely a pathway here once. Where does it lead?_' he wondered and started to pick his way over the uneven ground, looking at the dirty, cobwebbed walls around him and the thorny weeds sprouting from the ground. The path wound its way through the village backstreets, and he knew that he was walking just on the other side of the main streets by the noise. Obviously, because of the tall wooden walls that were on either side of the hidden path, people didn't realize there was actually a space behind their houses instead of the next house's back yard. He turned another corner and paused, noticing that it was worse here and the walkway was much narrower. He had to turn sideways to continue, and did so with an annoyed scowl. But his curiosity had been picked and that little sense of adventure was poking the side of his brain like an obnoxious child that wanted a treat.

His arms itched when he pushed through a low hanging branch of dry leaves, and he ducked slightly to avoid getting his face tangled in an abandoned spider web. Finally, when he was just about ready to kick his curiosity and shoot his sense of adventure in its ugly face, the path reached an end and opened up.

He stepped out, taking a deep breath after being in stuck a compact space, and looked around.

The grass was tall and wild, lurking up the walls that had changed into stone rather than wood. To the right was a large weeping willow that he realized was the same one that could barely be seen when standing in the market place. Towards the left was what looked like a large boulder, mossy and cracked. He took a step towards it, hissing when his foot sunk into a hidden rabbit hole. Taking his next few steps carefully, he reached the rock and knelt slightly, examining it. It was a slate grey colour, and he touched a finger to its surface, feeling the loose granules of sand clinging to it. His dark eyes roamed upwards and he paused. It looked like there was something underneath a large patch of moss and weed. He straightened, using his fingers to start pulling away the greenery. When a piece of moss fell away, he saw an engraved line, circular in shape.

"What the…" he mumbled before starting to tear away at the rest with vigour, wanting to know what was underneath. Slowly, bit by bit, the obstruction went away, giving him a clear view of the side of the boulder. He stepped back, looking at the whole picture with his eyes wide and his lips parted.

Engraved into the stone was a large diagram. In the very centre was a circle with a crescent line parting the middle. Beneath that was a carving of a village and next to it, several human figures. But the village was under attack, flames atop the roofs and there were several threatening shapes drawn by the human figures, obviously the attackers. A small line lead that image to an image of three kneeling figures, arms held up to a statue that resembled a half-man, half-beast. Yet another line led from there to an image of the three figures from before, only they were writhing in agony and their features had changed. Their ears were longer, their hands clawed and what appeared to be a tail was sprouting out their lower backs. Another line led to an image depicting a battle between three large wolf-like creatures and the attackers from the first image. Then a final picture was beside that. It showed the three humans from before, standing outside of the village that was now alright. However, they were spread out and chains were around their necks, leading back to the village.

Sasuke stared at the image, his mouth opened in amazement. The carving stretched over the entire side of the boulder, but it was faded. It had been done a long time ago…possibly back when the village was first built by natives of the land. He stared at the last image, looking at the chains upon the three men's necks. They were thick and spiked, wrapped around their necks and then attached to the village. His eyes focused on the man standing at the bottom of the village, in the middle. He had been carved out in greater detail, and Sasuke leant forwards, inspecting him carefully. He looked at the eyes of the picture. In the narrow eyes of the man, a crescent shape had been carved around the pupil.

"That's…just like…." Sasuke mumbled, his eyes wide as he recalled the eyes of the creature from the forest, as well as the eyes of the man he'd seen that night.

He stood back, reaching into his notepad and pulling it out. He began to write down everything he saw in the image before pausing and reaching into his other pocket, pulling out his cell phone. It was a miracle that he'd left it in this pair of pants and not taken it with him earlier. He stood back, quickly getting the camera option running before he snapped several shots of the boulder. He zoomed in on the last picture, wanting to get a shot of those odd eyes. As he clicked the button and heard the picture get taken, he noticed something.

Just under the man's feet was another engraving, but it was so worn and faded he couldn't see it properly. He edged closer, brushing away some dust and picking a piece of moss away. It was faint, but it looked like it had once been words.

"Pr…pray…praes…ugh, prae-something…ca….can…dammit," he tried to make out the words, dusting some more and leaning closer. "Praesi…..can….."

"Praesidios canes," a voice spoke up behind him, and Sasuke jumped ten feet in the air, his heart beating furiously as he spun around.

Standing behind him was a villager. He looked to be a few years older than him, and he wore a faded purple tunic and grey pants with black shoes. He was leaning rather casually on a stick, watching Sasuke with dark eyes covered with round spectacles. His long, silvery hair was knotted back in a stubbed ponytail while several locks hung over his forehead.

"What?" Sasuke asked, realizing the man had said something.

The man blinked slowly before smirking. "Praesidios canes," he repeated and nodded at the boulder. "It's what is written there, though sadly no one would figure that out unless they already knew."

"Praesidios canes?" Sasuke repeated, eyebrows drawing down. "What is that?"

The man smirked again, straightening up and dislodging his stick from the ground. "It's Latin, my curious friend," he said and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "…And it means 'Guard Dogs."

"Guard dog...?" Sasuke mumbled, turning to look back at the engraving. He heard the man step up beside him, looking up at the images.

"This area is actually quite a sacred spot in the village. However, due to…circumstances," his eyes slid towards the Elder's Mansion as he said this, "…no one really knows about it anymore."

"You do. Who are you?" Sasuke asked, looking at him. A hand was extended to him.

"My name is Yakushi Kabuto. I am the village undertaker," Kabuto grinned at Sasuke's visible flinch. "There is a graveyard just beyond here, hence why I am so close."

"Right," Sasuke said, unsure of what to think. This guy gave him the creeps. "So, this area is sacred? Why is that?"

Kabuto motioned to the rock. "It holds the legend of our village, set in stone. It also holds many other items from our village's past…things that the people of nowadays don't remember or don't believe in. Since everyone is forbidden to come here, they have simply forgotten about it."

"Forbidden?" Sasuke asked. "I just stumbled across a path that led here."

"Yes, there are several. However, most have been sealed off. I take it you used the path from the market?"

Sasuke nodded and Kabuto hummed. "Yes, I unsealed that one recently. I like to take shortcuts from my house in the cemetery to the market."

Sasuke shivered at the thought of living in a graveyard. He looked back at the rock. "You said this was the village's legend. I'm not sure I understand what is being shown to me here."

Kabuto chuckled, the sound deep and cold. "Not many would…" he tilted his head, surveying Sasuke carefully. "….You seem…different….from the other outsiders. There's something about you that is…strange."

Sasuke stared at him. He didn't know whether to be insulted or not. But he didn't really like being called an 'outsider' even though he knew that's exactly what he was in this village.

"I'd almost say that you have," Kabuto's lips curled into an eerie smile, "seen the one with the crescent moon in his eye."

Sasuke's whole body stiffened automatically and he avoided eye contact with the other man. Kabuto's smile fell and his face became contemplative. Finally, after a long while of heavy silence, he once again straightened and held his stick properly.

"Come. Let's go have a talk in my home. You want to know more about the legends of this village, yes?"

He didn't wait for an answer, instead turning and walking away. Sasuke stared after him before looking back at the carving. Tracing the figure's eyes with his fingers, he sighed and turned, following Kabuto through the long grass and down another narrow pathway. They walked through tall weeds and back alleys before finally emerging into the graveyard. Sasuke shuddered at the sight of all the thick stone slabs scattered over the ground. Some were new and clean, others were old, cracked and covered in grime and moss. The grass was uneven, and to the right Sasuke saw a freshly dug grave, waiting to be filled.

"Come along, Outsider," Kabuto called, walking passed two stone angels and towards a small wooden shack in the corner. Sasuke scowled but followed. He looked around carefully and something strange clicked in his head.

"Where is Tsunade's grave?" he asked. Kabuto stopped just outside his door, hand resting on the handle. Slowly, his head turned until he was looking at Sasuke over his shoulder.

"….What would be the point of making a grave," he said slowly, his eyes darkening, "…for someone who wasn't even dead yet?"

* * *

Genma swallowed thickly as he eased himself into the room, the only light coming from a candle on the desk. He held his breath as he eased the door closed behind him, being sure to wait for the click of the latch falling into place. When he was sure no one was about to come running, he quickly turned and hurried to the desk, sitting down and pulling open a drawer.

Inside were several pieces of blank paper, old and yellowed. He pulled one out, yanking open another drawer and grabbing an old pen and a bottle of ink. He unscrewed the cap, his eyes darting up towards the door briefly. His hands shook as he dipped the tip of the pen into the ink and brought it to the paper, starting to scribble quickly. He had filled half the page when the sounds of footsteps met his ears. His head snapped up and he held back a gasp. Listening for a second more, he heard more steps and jumped up, shoving the pen into the drawer and folding the paper up, sliding it into his pocket. His hand moved to grab the ink bottle, but he ended up knocking it over.

"Shit!" he hissed, snatching at the falling bottle. A stream of dark black ink was spreading over the desk and he cursed as he put the bottle in the drawer and slammed it shut. He heard the steps getting closer and cursed under his breath. With a puff of air he blew out the candle, sending the room into darkness.

He moved to the side, pressing himself against the corner of the wall and staring at the door with wide eyes.

The footsteps stopped outside of it and Genma dared not to breathe as he saw the silhouette outside the door. A clicking noise alerted him to the fact that the door was being opened, and his heart slammed violently against his ribcage as he waited. The door creaked as it opened and he felt sweat forming on his forehead.

"Genma…are you in here?" The old, croaky voice of Elder Danzou made him freeze up, his eyes bulging. He kept his mouth closed, still not breathing. He heard the heavy thump of the elder's cane on the wooden floor. "Genma," Danzou called again. Said man remained in the shadows.

The sound of a long, drawn out sniff was heard and Genma's mouth fell open, his lips quivering in fear. Another sniff, and his eyes squeezed shut.

"…Ink…Hmph, some idiot must have spilled it in here and run off," Danzou's voice said and Genma opened his eyes, watching as the shadowy figure of the elder turned and left the room. "Where is that incompetent oaf?" the old man asked, walking away. His footsteps faded slowly, as did the heavy 'clunk' of his cane. When there was no sound left, Genma allowed himself to breathe. He wasted no time rushing back to the desk, snatching up the pen and dipping it into the spilled ink. He pulled out the paper, remembering where he had left off and continued to write in the dark room. He hoped that his writing would still be legible, but he didn't have the luxury of lighting the candle at this point. He needed to hurry if he wanted to avoid any more suspicion.

Finishing his task, he put the pen back in the drawer and closed it softly. Blowing on the paper, he folded it up and walked to the window. Gently, he eased it open and climbed out, glancing over his shoulder repeatedly to make sure no one was watching him in the doorway.

Outside, he crawled along the edge of the wall, listening intently. When he reached the border of the Mansion garden, he pushed through two hedges and cupped a hand around his mouth. A low, breathy whistle sounded and he waited.

Soon there was a rustling sound before the bushes below parted. A small white wolf cub trotted towards him, its pointed ears perked as it tilted its head up at him. He smiled, holding out a hand and letting the creature sniff it. When it deemed him as a friend, he pulled out the paper and held it out to it. It sniffed it once before yipping softly and gently taking it from him, little teeth keeping it firmly in its mouth.

"Go, run!" Genma urged, and the little wolf turned and raced away, vanishing from sight in an instant. He sighed, running a hand over his forehead before stepping back. He felt relieved that he had succeeded, and straightened out his jacket before turning around.

Only to come face to face with Danzou.

Genma jumped back, his heart stopping momentarily as he realized that the man was indeed there.

"E-Elder Danzou!" he yelped.

Danzou stared at him through his good eye, a frown on his face. "What, pray tell, are you doing out here in the garden, Genma?" he asked, his voice calm and icy.

Genma hid a gulp, the toothpick in his mouth twitching.

"I thought I…heard a noise, so I was investigating," he said slowly and hoped to God that his lie would not be caught out.

Danzou stared at him, his eyes empty and unrevealing. Genma stared back, trying desperately to keep himself from sweating or twitching. The tension in the air was bearing down on him like a heavy weight, and he was certain that soon he was going to be crushed.

"There was a complaint from the west end of the village," Danzou suddenly said, his voice no longer icy. "I'm not sure what it was about, but I'd like you to go and check it for me." He turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Genma in his wake.

The brunet watched the old man climb back up the porch steps and enter the large mansion before breathing a sigh of relief. If Danzou had bought his lie, then it meant he was safe for a while longer. He straightened out his jacket and left the mansion grounds, heading towards the west end of the village. There were many farms in that end and the crops were tall at this time, though not yet ready for harvest.

He wandered through a corn field, heading towards the farmhouse just beyond it. A frown curved his lips as he drew nearer. It looked like it was abandoned. Now that he thought about it, he didn't know who lived here. The farm next to it belonged to old man Teuchi, and the one beyond that was the property of the Sarutobi family, though the last heir wasn't in the village anymore and the property was reserved.

As he reached the edge of the cornfield, a wave of cold washed over him. Despite it being daytime, the sun was blocked by grey clouds lingering in the sky, and the shadows of the barn house were long and dark. The sun was getting lower in the sky, the afternoon reaching its midway point and starting to slide into evening. Genma shivered and swallowed, feeling alarm bells go off in his head.

He spun around, looking left and right to try and see what was causing the chill down his spine. Something in the field moved, and Genma's eyes widened before he turned and broke out into a full run. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his heart racing a mile a minute as fear crawled through his chest like a filthy insect. His arms moved at his sides, his long legs taking big strides as he ran as fast as he could. The thundering of something chasing him reached his ears and he panicked.

'_How? It's not night yet! How is it able to…unless this one is a…_' his thoughts were cut off when he reached a dead end. Gasping frantically, he looked around for some way to escape. The thing chasing him was getting closer, and he bit his knuckle to try and calm his mind. It was in that movement that he saw the narrow path leading towards the hidden back alleys. He rushed into it, keeping his arms close at his sides as he tried to manoeuvre successfully through the thin path. He heard a cracking sound behind him, and saw the fences on either side of him sway as the aftershock of movement hit them. Twisting his head, he let out a shallow yelp of fear as he saw that the thing chasing him had forced itself into the alley, its sides brushing and scratching against the thin walls.

He picked up his pace, chest heaving while his legs moved. His arm slammed against a wooden beam in the wall harshly, and he suppressed a yell of pain when his shoulder was knocked out of its joint. Holding it stead with his other hand he continued to race forwards.

Another loud crack and more aftershocks happened as he reached a fork, and he turned left, the grass along the old paths getting taller and thicker. He shoved through, racing towards the end of the path as best as he could. He burst out into a clearing of some sorts. The walls around it were made of cracked and mossy stone and the grass was long and muddled with thorny weeds. A dead tree was resting in the right corner, blackened branches weeping over the ground like the legs of a spider, and the twisted trunk looked like a gaunt face screaming in agony. In the centre of the area there was a tall stone statue.

Genma raced towards it, knowing that there was a path just beyond there that could lead him to safety. He reached the base of the statue when a loud snarl ripped through the air. He spun around instinctively.

A large black shape was flying towards him, and Genma let out a scream as it landed atop him, claws and sharp fangs sinking into his flesh. He fell to the floor, the thing on top of him still ripping at him. Blood spurted out onto the grass, speckling the green and brown with dark red. A splatter of blood hit the stone side of the side, dripping down and making the carving even more frightening than it already was.

Genma's screams continued, filled with pain and pure terror. But they were unheard by the rest of the village, muffled by the tall walls and the thick grass. Overhead the sun had become completely covered by dark clouds, and the rumbles of thunder could be heard in the distance as the first few drops of rain started to stain the ground.

* * *

Sasuke sat in a rickety chair, eyes boring into Kabuto's head as the man worked with making some tea.

"What did you mean by your earlier statement?" he asked, hands clenching on his lap. Kabuto hummed questionably as he poured the boiling water into two cups.

"Did I make a statement?" he asked, a placid smile on his face. Sasuke glared at him, lips pulling back ever so slightly in a light snarl.

"You said 'what was the point of making a grave for someone who isn't even dead yet'!" he repeated as Kabuto sat down before him and handed him the tea. The man pushed up his glasses, a look of sincere surprise on his face.

"Did I say that?" he asked, and the tone of his voice let Sasuke know that he was being messed with.

"Stop screwing around with me!" he snapped. Kabuto chuckled, waving his hand.

"Calm yourself, Outsider," he said and Sasuke growled. "Ignore my earlier statement. That is nothing you need to concern yourself with. Nor is it my place to say anything about it at all. We're here to fulfil your curiosity about the legend of our village."

Sasuke opened his mouth before snapping it shut. As curious as he was about Tsunade's disappearance, it was obvious that he wouldn't be getting anything out of Kabuto. This frustrated him beyond belief, but he let it go. There was nothing he could really do to make the man change his mind, and he didn't want to provoke him any more than necessary. He still wasn't entirely sure of his whereabouts, and he didn't want to risk Kabuto attacking him when there was no clear escape path.

"Alright…So, tell me about that carving. You said it was about the legend of this village?" Sasuke said, slipping into his interviewer-mode. Kabuto smirked at his demeanour bit sipped his tea before replying.

"Yes. I have no accurate knowledge as to when that carving was made, but my guess is it was carved right after the village was founded. Whether the legend was born from the carving, or whether the carving was born from the legend is, sadly, unknown to me," Kabuto said and Sasuke was scratching down everything he said on his notepad.

"And what exactly is the base of this legend?" Sasuke asked, looking up. "What's the story behind it?"

Kabuto placed his half empty tea cup down, that smile still on his face. "Well, to use a term that is familiarized with people outside of our village, I suppose you could say that a large part of the legend revolves around the idea of," he sipped his tea as Sasuke leant forward, his eyes shining with interest as he swallowed every word. "…Werewolves."

Sasuke blinked, leaning back in his chair slightly. "Werewolves?" he asked, scribbling it down. He raised an eyebrow. "You said that is a term that the outside world could familiarize with. What would the villagers call them?"

Kabuto grinned. "Praesidios canes. Or, for the less multilingual, Guard Dogs of the Village."

Sasuke nodded slowly, scratching it down. "Right…the writing on the rock…what about the carving?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. A distant rumble of thunder was heard, and the first few raindrops splattered against the cracked windows. "What does that carving mean?"

"That carving is a story," Kabuto said, brushing some hair away from his glasses. He gulped the rest of his tea down, nodding at Sasuke's own cup. The raven took a sip, finding it was quite pleasant since it wasn't sweet. He took another sip while Kabuto leant back in his chair, thinking.

"What is the story? Could you tell it to me?" Sasuke asked when his cup was drained. Kabuto nodded, leaning forward again and resting his arms on his knees.

"They say that the village was built by travelling strangers from a far and strange land that had come to settle in a new world. These people had their own ideals and their own religions, and of course when they built the village, it was in accordance to those ideals and beliefs. They worshipped a deity that they called Diaboli Cohortis Canis. That is Latin as well, and it basically means Guard Dog of the Devil."

Sasuke's eyes were wide as he wrote this down. "They were Satanists?"

"I'm not sure exactly what they were. Perhaps they simply worshipped the idea of a being that protected such a powerful mass of evil. Or, perhaps by guard dog, they believed it was a deity that was guarding the devil in his cage, making sure he did not escape. I have no way to know what their actual belief was….but I feel that it may have been a mix of the two I just suggested."

"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Kabuto smiled again, but there was no friendly feeling. He had gotten serious too.

"What I mean is that perhaps they believed the entity performed both roles. Perhaps, their Guard Dog both protected what was inside the cage…and what was outside the cage."

Sasuke nodded again, understanding. "As if they were protecting outsiders from what was inside, and protecting insiders from the outside too."

"Exactly," Kabuto nodded. Another rumble of thunder sounded, catching his attention briefly.

"Continue on," Sasuke urged, his ears perked.

"Right, as I was saying. These people built their village in the middle of a forest, a smart move when one wanted seclusion and safety from certain things. However, a few years after their village was built, they were attacked by cruel and wicked people from other areas. Whether the fights were to drive them out, or whether it was a war for territory, or even rogue bandits plundering and pillaging…I don't know who or why, but the village was put under attack. Homes were destroyed, men and women and children were slaughtered…the village was being torn apart.

In a desperate attempt to save their village, three of the bravest and most loyal men to the village went to the idol of their deity. They prayed and begged to their god, asking it to grant them the strength to protect their village and destroy the evil that threatened them."

Sasuke's attention was rapt, his eyes wide as he listened to every word. Already things were clicking into place in his mind as he thought back on the carvings and what Kabuto had told him so far. He licked his dry lips, voicing his thoughts.

"So…the god granted them their wish and turned them into werewolves?"

Kabuto inclined his head slightly. "Yes. The god granted their wish and gave them the strength and power needed to defeat the evil that threatened their beloved village. The men were turned into powerful beasts, unstoppable and bloodthirsty as they tore down their enemies and assured the safety of their home. However, like with all of these tales, their wish came at a price. The threats were eradicated, but the men were not freed from the power. Instead, they became burdened by it…in the end, they became Cursed."

Sasuke found himself taking a deep breath, having not done so in a while. He swallowed, the rain outside getting heavier as it transcended from light patters to constant drumming.

"The three men were cursed to become the creatures that defeated the evils against their home. Vicious, dangerous to those they loved, they were isolated and shunned by the rest of the villagers. But they were not allowed to leave. Instead, they were bound to the village, sworn by the curse to protect it from future enemies and threats."

Sasuke remembered the carving of the three men wearing chains. So that's what it had meant. And he now understood the term 'Guard Dogs'.

"The legend of the village is this; There are creatures that wander in the woods around the village, protecting it from anything considered a threat. However…there is nothing that specifies the threats have to be outsiders," Kabuto said, and grinned.

Sasuke blinked, unsure of what he meant. He voiced this and Kabuto chuckled.

"I had a master, named Orochimaru. He was a doctor in this village. He was not born or raised here, but he soon learned of the legend. He became highly interested in it, doing research on all its aspects. He told me all about his theories, asked for my help to discover some facts and answers," there was a nostalgic look on Kabuto's face, and Sasuke found that he wasn't writing this down. It was a personal thing to the man before him, and he couldn't bring himself to put it into his little notepad of interview detachment.

"One day, I discovered that he had been doing some illegal trading, using our village's seclusion to hide his actions from the officials. This discovery put our village in a spot of danger, whether it would be because of the authorities coming for Orochimaru and accusing us of harbouring a criminal, or because his clients grew unhappy with his decreasing supplies as he got more and more enticed in the legend…our village was under a threat."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he finally realized what Kabuto had meant. "You're saying that the Guard Dogs would also consider insiders to be enemies if they put the village at risk?" he asked and Kabuto nodded, pleased he had understood. "Is that why the villagers are so afraid? But if they're not guilty of directly causing trouble, then why do they lock themselves in at night?"

Kabuto stood up, walking over to his window. Sasuke watched him, his heart thumping against his chest. His mind kept replaying the story Kabuto had told him, and simultaneously he was thinking of all the things that could link to the story being true. The Curse that was printed in the Town Hall. The rules set up for staying indoors and locking up, the seemingly irrational fear of the forest….the creature he'd seen. His thoughts flashed back to those stunning blue eyes and the shining crescent moon held within. A shudder ran down his spine.

"It's true that innocent people should be safe from the Guard Dogs. But you must understand something," Kabuto turned, the shadows falling over his features and making him look frightening. "Over the years, the legend has been twisted and changed, mangled by constant retellings and…the end result has become quite different from the original."

"Wait, what is the original?" Sasuke asked, eyes wide. Kabuto chuckled.

"The version I told you was the original. I learned it after Orochimaru-sama dug it up in all his research. The version that has been told to the last few generations of our village, however, is slightly different."

"How so? What are the differences?" Sasuke asked, flipping to a new page of his notepad.

"Most of it is the same, but the end has been changed. The men remained cursed, and are bound to the forests around the village. The harsher versions say that the men turned beasts became vicious and resentful towards the ungrateful village for shunning them even after they had sacrificed their humanity for them. As such, the Guard Dogs began to terrorize the village instead, making it regret their mistreatment. This version says that any villager that is caught under the rays of the full moon will become a target for the Guard Dogs…"

Sasuke nodded, his pen scratching against the paper of his notepad as he wrote this down. He stared at everything written, taking in the links and facts and reading over the small footnotes he'd added in.

"I see….and you don't believe this version?"

"I do not, though I cannot say the same for the other villagers. They have been blindly led into this new ideal…"

"Blindly led? What do you mean?"

Kabuto blinked before he turned his head away, expression dark and unreadable beyond that. "I shouldn't have said that. I've spoken carelessly. Please disregard that last comment."

Sasuke was about to protest, but he was stopped when Kabuto grabbed his coat. "Come with me, Outsider. I want to show you something."

Sasuke frowned, but slid his notepad back into his pocket and stood up. Kabuto offered him a coat and he took it, not wanting to get unnecessarily wet. They stepped outside of Kabuto's small home, and he followed the bespectacled man through the long grass of the graveyard. He shivered as they walked down another narrow path, covered in thorny weeds. It was shorter than the last one he had walked through, and soon they were in another clearing. He looked around, his hair plastered to his face. A gruesome looking dead tree was in a corner, black branches hanging low. The walls were stone and tall, cracked and covered in moss. The grass was tall, thick and Sasuke hissed when his hand was scratched by a thorny vine.

"Over there," Kabuto said, pointing forwards. Sasuke turned his head away from the scary tree and saw a statue situated in the centre. It was tall and made of stone, though it had become worn from age. He could tell that it had once been taller, standing on a base, but that had crumbled away, leaving the statue somewhat tilted to the side. He stepped closer and narrowed his eyes, trying to better see through the moss that covered most of it. When he did realize what he was seeing, he gasped.

"That's…from the carving!" he said and Kabuto nodded. "So that's the deity they praised?"

The statue was of a man's body, strong and powerful, wearing a royal looking loincloth. The left arm was bent at the elbow, fist straight as it held a broken sword. The right arm had crumbled away, but the stub left behind made him sure that it had been in the same position as the other arm, and perhaps holding another weapon or a shield. The chest was decorated with a spiky looking plate and a necklace that appeared to be made of bones. Human bones.

Sasuke bit his lip, his head tilting back as he looked at the head. Instead of a man's head, there was a wolf-like visage. But its ears were longer, its snout thinner. Fangs could be seen in the open mouth, the lips carved back into a fearsome snarl. The tip of its nose had a jagged crack running through it, down to the end of the large front fang on the right.

"So that is the Guard Dog of the Devil?" he asked, stepping towards it.

"Yes…or at least, what the villagers imagined it to look like," Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses again. The rain had lightened up slightly, now pattering against their backs with a soft rhythm.

Sasuke stepped closer, looking at the statue with awe. The details were scarily well done, and he admired the craftsmanship. Though the base was crumbled and the arm was gone, it still was an intimidating structure and he felt that looking into the wild eyes of the statue made him nervous.

He got closer, and something caught his eye. On the side of the statue, running down one leg, was red. His eyes narrowed before the widened as he realized what it was.

Blood.

"Kabuto," he called, taking a shaky step forward. He pushed aside some of the long grass and let out a yell. "Oh my God!"

Kabuto came over quickly, reeling back slightly when he saw what Sasuke had found.

A body was lying in the grass, covered in blood and mud and mutated flesh. The left arm had been twisted, and deep bite marks could be seen near the shoulder and wrists. Flesh stuck up in grotesque ways, and Sasuke felt his stomach churning horribly. He stepped back, bringing a hand up to his mouth as he took in the deep gashes on the chest, blood still running out. His eyes travelled down to the legs and he couldn't hold it. He turned, stumbling a few steps away before he fell and retched violently.

Kabuto was kneeling by the body, his eyes scanning every injury and taking note of the fact that both legs had been twisted opposite ways than they were supposed to bend at the knees. He grimaced before looking up, wiping away some blood and hair to see the face. His eyes widened slightly before a sad sigh flew from his lips.

"Oh, Genma….You fool you," he murmured.

Sasuke's head shot up, a gasp coming out as he heard the soft words. He wiped his mouth and spun around, looking at Kabuto with wide and frightened eyes.

"I-It's G-Genma?" he stammered, shock making his senses jittery and numb.

Kabuto nodded, his hands wiping more blood away. "Yes….I warned him to be careful."

"W-what? Be careful of what?" Sasuke asked shakily. He couldn't believe it. He had been speaking with Genma, arguing with him, only hours before! And now the man was lying here in the secluded place, bleeding and mangled and d-d….It was too surreal.

"Now is not the time for that," Kabuto said swiftly, turning to look at Sasuke. "I'll need your help carrying him. We need to get him to my home immediately if we hope to have any chance of saving him."

Sasuke jerked back. "Saving him? H-he's alive?"

"Barely. His pulse is faint and fading fast. Will you help me—"

"Let's go!" Sasuke said, pushing aside his nausea and rushing over. If Genma was alive, and there was a chance he could be saved, then Sasuke wasn't going to waste it sitting around. Kabuto smiled at him, and the two of them worked to pull Genma's limp and soaking body up. Sasuke tried not to grimace as his hands became covered in blood and he fought the urge to gag when a small bit of bitten flesh fell, hitting his arm before falling to the floor.

"Let's go. Try not to jostle him too much," Kabuto said once he was sure their rather complex hold on the man was secure. Sasuke swallowed, shuddering before steeling himself for the gruesome task ahead.

"Let's do it."

* * *

The forest was quiet as the evening drew nearer, and the rain had finally let up, leaving everything wet and muddy. The dark clouds had only increased in number, throwing the shadows of evening ahead of their time, and the darkening sky called for lights to be lit in the village hidden in the forest.

A bush rustled violently before the little white wolf cub pushed through. It shook his head and then its body, getting rid of the water that had coated it during its travels. Sneezing slightly, it gnawed on the paper in its mouth before continuing its journey, trotting over the muddy ground with ease.

Winding through some fallen branches and over a stream, it approached the mouth of a dark cave.

Reaching the entrance, it shook itself again and trotted inside, letting out a muffled bark as it did so. Its eyes slid over the dark interior of the cave, its nose twitching slightly as it searched out a scent. Finding it, its tail began to wag as it hurried towards a small passage in the cave, leading further into it. The darkness reached its pinnacle, the floor and ground undistinguishable from the other, but the little wolf followed its nose, sniffing the air every now and then and nosing along the ground. Finally, a dim light could be seen and it yipped again, scampering forwards.

The light was the exit of the cave, leading to the top of a cliff that overlooked the forest. Just beyond the trees was a wooden hut, crude in its structure and craft, but effective in its purpose. A faint light could be seen beyond the cracks under the wooden door, and a thin plume of smoke was rising from the stone chimney. The cub barked again and ran to the door, jumping and scratching at it.

A few seconds later, the door opened up, and a man with tanned skin bent down, strong arms reaching down and picking the pup up. He wore a sleeveless shirt that seemed to be sewn from animal skin, and a pair of tattered grey pants that had definitely seen better days. His shaggy hair was a dark brown, matching his narrow eyes. But amidst the brown and black of his eyes, there was a white crescent around the pupil.

The man stepped back inside, stroking the little wolf's head as he eased the paper out of its mouth, whispering praise to it.

"Good boy, Akamaru. Good boy," he murmured affectionately, nuzzling his nose into the wolf's fur. He received a lick on his cheek, right over a red, triangular marking. Smiling slightly, he put the cub down and watched as it scampered to a bed in the corner, curling up and laying down to rest. The man turned away, heading towards the next room that held a large table where his comrades were gathered. He placed the paper onto the table, and slid it forwards. "News from Genma," he stated, his voice soft.

His hand left the paper only to be replaced by another tanned hand, pressing down and dragging it towards the owner. Blue eyes gazed at the sheet, quickly taking in the hastily scribbled words and taking note of the rushed and frightened air of the penmanship. The reader sighed, placing the paper down and running a hand through his blond hair. The page was taken by the third man at the table, his skin pasty and his hair a blood red. His eyes were darkly ringed, and on his forehead was a tattoo in red. His pale green eyes were also sporting the same crescent as the other two as he read over the letter.

"So that man is starting to make his move?" he mumbled in a monotone voice, placing the page down. The blond nodded, scratching at his chin before moving to scratch at an itch behind his ear. Soft thumps could be heard as his leg bounced under the table while the brunet sat down, sniffing loudly and letting out a slight growl with his next exhale of air.

"That bastard….he has already done enough damage!" he said angrily, a hand resting on the table. His nails were sharp and left lines as he started to scratch the table absently. "We need to hurry up and take care of it!"

"You know why we can't do that yet! He's been one step ahead of us the entire time!" The blond snapped before closing his eyes and breathing deeply. "We have to find another insider to help us."

"How do you propose we do that?" the redhead asked darkly, nearly none-existent eyebrows drawing down. "We don't exactly have a large base of comrades. Genma is already in danger as it is, judging by this message. We'd better pull him out before something happens to him like it did with her!" he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, towards a bed. The blond looked over at it, his expression sad as he took in the woman lying on the rickety surface. Blond hair streaked with grey was spread out over the cushions, her large chest covered in bandages and another bandage was wrapped around her forehead. Her face was serene, but every now and then it would scrunch in discomfort as the pain she felt in her dreams resurfaced.

"I know….We'll pull him out tonight," the blond man said softly, running a hand over his face. His two comrades softened their features, patting him on his shoulders.

"What about a new insider? Any ideas on who to use? I can only think of one person who may be an option—" the brunet began, but he was cut off by an animalistic snarl.

"No! We are not putting our trust in that wretched snake!" the blond growled, his fists hitting the table and making Akamaru jump in the next room, his little head looking up nervously. "We made that mistake once…we will not make it again!"

The brunet held his hands up, a motion for peace. He sniffed again, his head tilting to the side while he scratched at a scar on his arm.

There was silence as each man thought before the blond spoke up hesitantly.

"I…I think….those two outsiders—"

"You're joking," the redhead growled, his head snapping to the other quickly. "The problem lies in your own words…they are _outsiders_!"

"I'm aware of that!" the blond snapped, crossing his arms. "But…you weren't there…that one with the dark hair," his head turned away, blue eyes glazing at a memory. "There was something about him. He was so…different. And when I met his eyes…I don't know why or how, but for the first time in a long time…I felt peace."

The other two exchanged looks before focusing their attention on the blond. "Peace?"

"Yeah….It was like; looking into his eyes, there was a connection. I felt I could trust him…I felt that he trusted me. A bond like that is something that usually takes a long time to form and feel, yet I felt it within the first few seconds of looking at him!"

The brunet sighed, rubbing his forehead. "They're _outsiders_," he stressed the word, trying to get through to his friend. "How can you consider trusting outsiders when we're already struggling with the insiders?"

"Perhaps," the red head said slowly, his face contemplative. "…Perhaps these two will be useful."

The blond looked happy while the brunet stared at him incredulously.

"What?"

"They will be more likely to listen to our explanation," the red head explained for his less than pleased friend. "And, if they do not take our side, we can dispose of them."

A dark shadow formed on the blond's face at that, and a low growl began to rumble from his chest. The other two turned their gazes to him, and the growl was echoed by each of them.

"Do not behave this way over two strangers!" the red head warned, speaking even as a growl continued to come from his chest and throat, making his voice hoarse and deep. "Our first priority…our only priority is to—"

"I know!" the blond interrupted, his growling coming to a swift end as he sighed and slumped over the table. "I know," he repeated, softer and sounding defeated.

The brunet rubbed his back soothingly, receiving a faint whine for his efforts. His nose twitched slightly as he smiled, lips revealing his sharp canines.

"Very well. It's decided then," the red head said slowly, standing up. He looked at the blond, narrowing his eyes. "You will approach them and get them to help us. If they do not…you will do what is necessary."

Blue clashed with green, the colours becoming vivid and glowing in the dim light as an intense battle was waged between their stares. The brunet watched calmly, though his head twitched slightly and his fingers were curling into his arms.

Finally, the blond gave a firm nod and the staring match was stopped.

"I understand. I'll go to them tonight. You two will handle Genma. Agreed?" he asked and the others got to their feet.

"Agreed."

Outside, the sun finally sank, turning evening into early night though the sky was still covered in a mess of dark clouds, and just beyond the trees, over the cliff that their shelter was built on, the lights of the village were visible in the distance as the residents began to prepare themselves for the night.

* * *

**Long chapter is long. **

**I hope you're all enjoying it! Things really start to heat up from here on out! Please remember to leave a review with your thoughts! Until next time!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**And here we have the last pre-written chapter! ... *facepalm* I'm so screwed. Anyway, I'll try to keep updates weekly on a Monday, but there are two things that might make this difficult; 1. having no pre-written chapters, so if I hit a block, it means a longer wait... I'm sorry in advance should this happen... and 2. School/college/hell is starting this week (or next depending on which one I'm going to) and I have no doubt that that is going to completely consume a lot of my time... Sorry again, but I gotta do what I gotta do you know? (I don't make any money off this, so it can't become a priority over things that will set me on that path, ya know?)**

**Anyway, quite a bit in this chapter! I hope you enjoy it!  
**

**Same warnings and Disclaimer apply.  
**

* * *

Sasuke was on edge as he quickly walked back towards his and Kakashi's temporary house. He kept wiping his hands on his shirt, despite the fact that they were red and raw from all the times he'd washed them back at Kabuto's house. The amount of blood he'd gotten all over him still made him sick. Kabuto had borrowed him some clothes to get back in, since obviously they didn't want the whole village to start worrying about the fact that he had blood all over him.

Genma was hanging onto life by a thread, and Kabuto had said that his chances were in the lower percentages. Sasuke didn't know what to feel about that. He'd never exactly liked Genma; the man frustrated him from the few encounters they'd had, but that didn't mean he wanted him to _die_. And the fact that he had been the one to find him made him all the more hopeful of his survival.

He wiped his hands on the khaki brown shirt he was wearing yet again before patting his pants pockets. His notepad was still in there, and he pulled it out. Reading over his hastily scribbled notes, he confirmed that everything in the past four hours or so had, indeed, happened.

The legend, the statue, the blood and Genma… It was all real, and he definitely wasn't dreaming.

His mind swirled around the story of the village that Kabuto had told him. Could it be true? Could there really be such a thing as Guard Dogs lurking around the forest and targeting the guilty?

And another, more nagging question, was what could be considered a crime?

He stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide. Things that were considered a threat to the village were a crime. Was the magazine considered a threat? Were he and Kakashi in danger of becoming targets because of their prying into the village's secrets?

A shudder raced down his spine and he walked faster. It was getting late; he'd stayed a while to help Kabuto patch up Genma as best as they could. The undertaker was actually quite skilled as a doctor, though this was explained due to Kabuto's old master being a doctor himself.

A slamming of doors made him jump and he turned, noticing the people were starting to go inside and close up.

'_Shit, is it already that late?_' he thought in horror. Forgetting about calm, he started to run. The sounds of a night owl's mournful call followed him as his heavy steps thudded against the sandy ground. The night was cold from all the rain, and there was hardly any moonlight to guide his way.

Reaching the street, he saw that the lights were on in their abode. He took a deep breath and then ran as fast as he could. Due to everything that had happened over the course of the day, his nerves had been shot. Sure, Kakashi was undoubtedly going to tease the shit out of him…until he read Sasuke's notes, though.

He reached the door, his hand wrapping around the handle and relief flooding his system. He let out a sigh, and was about to push the handle down when he heard it.

From the distance, the long and sorrowful cry of a wolf sounded. He froze, eyes staring at his hand unseeingly. His heart beat faster, his mind automatically envisioning a half-man, half-wolf howling to the moon. A chill spread through his body as he heard the howl continue…and then he gasped when two more howls echoed it. His nerves jolted and he yanked the door open, stepping inside and shutting it tightly behind him. Resting his back against the wood, he slid his hand around to put the lock in place, his eyes trained on the floor. The warmth of the house helped to ease away the tingles of fear that had started to spread in his veins, and he released a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you're back awfully late," Kakashi said as he rounded the corner, his voice faltering when he noticed the pale tone of Sasuke's skin. "…Are you okay?"

Sasuke sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair while he tried to calm himself down. When he had gathered some of his composure, he looked up to see Kakashi watching him warily.

"Kakashi…I found out about the legend behind this village," he said slowly. Kakashi perked up immediately, walking over to him.

"Really? Excellent! We can get right to work on the body of the article then! Do you have it all on note?" he asked, tugging on Sasuke's hair, not seeing the worried face the raven was wearing. "Ah, little Sasu-chan is making such progress! And here I thought I'd end up doing all the work!"

"Kakashi," Sasuke said slowly, tilting his head up to meet the man's eyes. Kakashi stopped his teasing, now noticing the solemn expression that Sasuke was wearing. His arm dropped to his side as the playful air around him vanished.

"…What's wrong, Sasuke?" he asked slowly, leading the way to the bedroom. Sasuke sat down on his bed, inhaling deeply.

"…Genma was attacked today. He might not make it."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he stared down at the raven. "Attacked? By who?"

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "Not a 'who'."

Kakashi eased himself down onto his bed, his brows furrowing as he thought on what Sasuke had said. "A wolf? Why would it attack during the day, if it was?"

Sasuke bit his lip slightly before sighing and reached into his pocket, drawing out his notebook. He looked at Kakashi, tossing it over.

"Read that and tell me what you think."

* * *

The clock struck twelve, chiming through the village and alerting all inside to close up their homes for good and retire until the morning light shone. The few remaining lights in houses were snuffed until only the faint glow of the hidden moon was offering light. An owl hooted in the distance, the call eerie in the darkness as wind made the trees whisper amongst themselves.

The entrance of the village was closed, as it was every night. The large gates were shut and bolted with thick beams and metal locks. A chain was even crossed over it, and yet still this was not enough to stop what approached the village.

A scratch of sharp claws on wood was briefly heard before something landed on the inside of the gates. Two more thuds were heard before the three intruders looked up, eyes glinting in the dark light.

A second of quiet before they were running, the beat of twelve paws muffled by the sandy roads. Dark shadows were all that washed passed the windows of the various shops, houses and storage establishments.

The creatures stopped at a crossroad, standing with their backs together as they surveyed the surrounding area. Heavy panting was heard from their midst, and a deep rumbling growl sounded from the largest one. There was a moment where they stood still, sniffing the air cautiously. Then, a furry head turned to the other two, a small grunt being issued. There was a nod of two heads before the creatures split up, two going down one road and the third twisting its head to the path on the right. It looked up, sniffing the air before latching onto the desired scent and starting to run towards it.

Through the deserted streets it ran, fur ruffling in the wind as clawed paws beat against the ground. It slid to a stop at another crossing, looking left and right and taking another, deep sniff of the air. Finding the scent again, it turned to the left and continued on its way. Finally, its destination came into sight; the guest house assigned to the outsiders.

Creeping up towards it, the creature walked into the shadowy corner before edging towards the window. It lifted its head, peering through the glass. The interior was dark but for a faint, electronic blue glow that came from a cell phone lying on the side table. The two men inside were lying on their beds, seemingly asleep.

The creature retreated into the shadows again, its back arching. A sudden crack ripped through the air and a low growl was heard as the creature shifted. Fur began to recede, sinking back into tanned skin as legs elongated and shortened. Claws dulled into fingernails as paws turned to palms. The neck shortened, thinning down as the snout receded into a straight nose and strong jaw. More cracking was heard, and another growl rumbled from a now smooth chest.

Finally the grotesque noises of breaking bone and squelching flesh came to a stop, leaving the deathly silence of the night behind as the intruder stayed crouched in the corner, breathing heavily. Finally, they stood, rising far above their previous height. A muscled physique and a strong stance had replaced the shaggy fur and curved spine. The rolling clouds above passed over the moon, briefly letting out a beam of silvery light that landed on golden hair as the man walked out of the corner and back towards the window. Looking at the inhabitants, blue eyes focused on one as a hand rose up, index finger extending.

Sasuke lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear Kakashi's faint snores beside him and wondered how the man could sleep after hearing and reading everything that had happened. Kakashi had been shocked at the news of Genma's attack, but told Sasuke that it was out of their hands. Once he read the legend, Sasuke asked him if he thought it was possible for it to be true. Kakashi had sighed, looking tired. The silver haired man had, of course, been reluctant to think that the legend was anything more than just that, but he had at least admitted that there was something very strange about…well, everything. Things fitted well, slots were filled…the legend coincided with many of the goings on in the village.

But there were still blanks, and they were driving Sasuke mad.

He sighed, closing his eyes as he tried to fall asleep. It was already past twelve, and he was tired even if his mind didn't agree. He tried to shut off his thoughts, but they kept returning to the legend, to Genma's attack, to the creature in the forest and the road…and to the blue eyed, enigma of a man that had seemingly vanished. His hand travelled down to his pocket, in which he still kept the broken tooth. Had the wolf that attacked him been a Guard Dog? Then who was the man? These were some of the blanks that were driving him crazy.

His brows furrowed when he noticed there was a strange tapping sound coming from the kitchen. He opened his eyes, listening to it. It was constant and he sighed, wondering if Kakashi had left the tap open.

Turning his head slightly, he was about to tell the sleeping man to go tighten it when the noise stopped. Sasuke's voice died before leaving his throat, and he waited. Ten seconds later, the tapping resumed.

'_What…is that?_' he thought, his heart beating a little faster than before. Slowly, he lifted his head to try and see through the archway and into the kitchen. From his angle, he could make out the sink and the window. It was incredibly dark outside, making him nervous. The tapping stopped again, and then resumed a few seconds later. Sasuke swallowed, wondering if he should ignore it and try to sleep. But his curiosity was calling once again, and before he knew it he was easing himself out of the bed.

'_Shit,_' he mentally cursed, hoping that he wasn't about to walk headlong into a death trap. Pressing himself against the wall, he edged along towards the kitchen archway, peering through. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness somewhat, and he could make out a shape standing outside.

'_Oh my God_,' he thought, his mouth running dry as he finally saw something recognizable. '_It's him_.'

The same pair of dazzling blue eyes were staring right at him, and he instantly knew it was the same man from before. And those eyes….those eyes were the same as the creatures. Fear was starting to crawl into his chest. Was he a target after all? Were he and Kakashi going to die for doing their jobs?

His hesitance and fear must have shown on his face, as the blue eyes suddenly took on a tint of sadness. The hand that had been tapping the window stopped, hovering in the air for a moment. Then those eyes brightened, and Sasuke gasped as the man pressed both hands to the window, much like he had done the first time they'd made eye contact.

Sasuke stood still, wondering what he should do. The fear was slipping away as he looked into the sincere blue eyes, and he felt a strange feeling bubbling in his chest. That same sense of peace he had felt before returned to him, calming his nerves and making him take a tentative step forward. The man on the other side of the window was watching him eagerly, but softly. Sasuke took another step, and then another, until he was right in front of the window. Once again, the sense of peace made him ignore the fear that he would've felt at being separated from this stranger by nothing but a thin layer of breakable glass.

His hands rose, then stopped. He hesitated some more, his eyes swirling with his doubt. The stranger just continued to stare at him with earnest blue eyes, hands pressing against the glass and a small patch of mist indicating his breath.

Sasuke bit his lip, chewing it as his hands lifted again and slowly, oh so slowly, he let his hands rest against the glass…over the others.

Blue eyes sparkled with glee and childish joy, and once more Sasuke felt his lips itching to turn up in a smile. There was something so calming about this man's eyes. He was being drawn into them.

Suddenly, the man tilted his head, and Sasuke was once again privy to the sight of blond hair in the brief illumination of light. He also saw the man's mouth, merely a black hole surrounding by a moonlit pair of lips.

_Let me in._

Sasuke's eyes widened as he lip-read what the man had said.

'_Let him in? He…He wants to come inside?_' Sasuke felt a shiver race down his spine at the thought. But he couldn't tell if it was a good or bad shiver. The strange trust he felt towards this man was scary, but that logical side of him was now screaming loudly, telling him how unwise it would be to let a stranger into the house…especially after everything he'd learnt.

The man said it again, inclining his head towards the door to emphasis. Sasuke stared at him for a second before slowly…shaking his head. Blue eyes blinked before becoming sad, and Sasuke could see the man's hands slip slightly on the glass, his hold obviously lessening as his wish was crushed.

Before he could move away, Sasuke tapped the glass, catching the stranger's attention. When those blue eyes were focused on him, Sasuke took a breath and whispered, forming the words carefully with his mouth so that the man would be able to read his lips.

"I'll come outside."

It was a foolish idea. He would be walking into the danger zone. But he decided that, if he was a target, he wasn't going to put Kakashi at immediate risk. If he had even a chance of escaping, then he could run back inside. And if he couldn't, then he was certain that Kakashi was smart enough to leave during the day and escape from this mad village.

The stranger was happy again, nodding his head and stepping away from the window. Sasuke watched him as he moved to linger just outside, and his heart started to beat faster. Was he making a mistake?

Pushing down the doubt that was building up, he steeled himself and walked to the door. Slipping on his shoes and snatching a jacket from the rack, he slowly undid the bolts and locks. He grabbed the key to the house that was resting on the side, wanting to lock the door behind him. Kakashi would be able to unlock it from the inside, but at least this would offer him safety should things turn out to be very bad.

Taking a breath and sending a glance backwards, Sasuke slowly pushed open the door. A wash of moonlight landed on his face, illuminating his pale skin and dark eyes as the door finally opened all the way. The village was quiet and still, nearly deserted in appearance. Sasuke took a hesitant step outside, his head turning left and right. Something in his stomach dropped when he realized he couldn't see the man. Was he hallucinating, or was this really a trap?

"Over here!"

He almost died at the soft whisper that came from beside him, and he turned sharply to see a long arm extending from the shadows. Squinting, he then saw the glimmering blue eyes shining in the dark shadows. Something tightened in his chest as he stared into those eyes, the knowledge that there was absolutely no barrier between them now at the forefront of his mind. The arm beckoned him again.

"Come on!" the voice whispered again and Sasuke swallowed thickly. He turned his body to face the hidden person and spoke, his voice wavering slightly.

"Let me see your face first," he demanded. The blue eyes blinked and the arm slackened momentarily. Then, the voice spoke again, no longer a whisper. It was deep and rough, sliding into Sasuke's ears and sending a shiver up his spine. Whether the shiver was from fear or something else he couldn't tell.

"Ah, I suppose that's only fair."

Sasuke's eyes hurt from being opened too wide as slowly the person moved forward slightly, letting the moonlight splash over their face. His breath decided to stop somewhere in his throat as he took a good look at the face presented to him. A strong, clear-cut jaw and wide neck led down to the beginnings of a broad and chiselled chest, the rest obscured by shadow. The man's hair was thick and shaggy, spikes protruding at every angle while the longer locks hung around his eyes and his cheeks. Three dark, thick lines were on both cheeks, the shadows of the night making them look like deep slashes or protruding whiskers. A straight button nose and thick lips finished off the face framing those mesmerising blue eyes, and Sasuke was at a loss. This man was incredible. He was definitely a native of the area, his skin darker than Sasuke's. It indicated a tan during the sunlit hours, though in the moon he looked like creamy espresso foam.

"You've now seen my face. Come; I'd rather not talk right in view of the street," the stranger said, once more beckoning him.

Sasuke blinked slowly before nodding. He still couldn't understand why he was so trusting. Normally he would've round-house kicked the guy the moment his face was visible and then taken charge. But something about this man was so...different. Just looking at his eyes made him feel calm and relaxed. It was madness.

He followed the man around the corner, taking the same route he had the first time he saw him. They reached the same area and turned down another corner, ending up at the back of the houses.

"This will be fine," the stranger said, stopping and turning. He was smiling cheerfully, his eyes still eerily bright in the night. They were practically glowing. "Thank you for giving me a chance to talk to you!"

Sasuke nodded slowly, standing straight up. "Likewise…If it's not too much, could I ask the first question?" he asked slowly, hand fiddling in his pocket.

The stranger nodded, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Belatedly Sasuke realized that he was stark naked, but the deep shadows of the night hid the more personal parts from his view, and he wasn't about to train his eyes there to catch a glimpse.

He inhaled deeply, clutching the item in his pocket before he pulled it out. Looking at it briefly, he turned to stare at the man with a determined expression, and held out his hand. The broken tooth was visible in his palm, the moonlit shining right on it.

"What the hell happened that night?" Sasuke asked. At the sight of the tooth the other man had frozen solid, blue eyes widening and mouth dropping open.

"How did you…? Where was that?" he asked.

"Imbedded in my shoulder. Answer my question," Sasuke replied shortly. His other hand was fisted at his side, trembling slightly. "What happened on that night that I was bitten? How is it that the next morning I was in my bed with no other mark on me and no proof of getting injured aside from this?" he bounced the tooth.

The stranger watched him pensively, arms now hanging by his side. Finally, he heaved a sigh.

"If I am to answer that, I'll need to know something," he said and Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he lowered his arm, still holding the tooth tightly. He waited while the stranger stared at the ground in thought. Then, blue eyes were locking onto his and it felt like his stomach had been pulled out of his feet.

"Do you believe in magic?"

It took Sasuke a moment to realize that the man wasn't reciting a corny line from a children's film, and he blinked rapidly.

"I'm…sorry?" he said slowly, not sure how to respond. The stranger chuckled, scratching his head.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't really the best way to put it. Magic is associated with good things and party tricks. I suppose the better question is…do you believe in the supernatural?" he asked again.

Sasuke hesitated. Did he believe in it? If he was honest…he didn't. But this village…everything he had learned so far, was making him second guess himself.

"I believe…in what I have seen, heard and experienced for myself. Whether it is science or supernatural…if I have been exposed to it, then I shall gain or lose belief in it," he answered slowly, hoping he was getting his point across. The blue eyes stared at him, analysing him carefully before the man smiled and nodded.

"That's a good answer. And now to answer yours," he looked upwards, staring up at the moon. "That night you were attacked, I saved you. I possess, shall we say, abilities that regular people don't have. I used these to heal you, and I thought that I had left no mark behind, but I'm afraid my clumsy nature got the best of me, and I left you with that souvenir. Sorry for not being more thorough. I placed you in your bed and left right after, hoping that you would forget."

"Healing abilities?" Sasuke repeated softly. This was so surreal. A part of him wanted to deny it, and just assume that the man was insane. But the evidence was damning.

"It might seem...impossible," the man said slowly, looking very understanding. "But I assure you…this is all very real."

Sasuke ran a hand over his face, shivering slightly from the cold night air. He sorted through the messes in his mind, trying to come up with what to say. But the stranger took a step forward.

"I'm sorry, but we don't really have time for a very long chat. In fact, we really don't have much time at all. I've come because...I need your help," he said, his voice serious but his eyes were pleading for understanding.

"My help? Why _my_ help? And with what?" Sasuke asked cautiously, taking a step back. The night was cold, and he wasn't exactly dressed very warmly, even with the jacket on. A sharp breeze sent a shiver down his spine and he curled his arms around himself for warmth.

"It's a bit difficult to explain it all here, but this village and all these people...they're in serious danger. But I can't help them alone; they won't allow me to. But if you agree, an outsider that's allowed into the village, I'm sure we can-"

Suddenly the air was filled with a blood-chilling sound; howling. Long, intense and eerie howls created a heart-stopping cacophony in the air and Sasuke's head snapped up to look around, his eyes widening and his skin going pale.

"Oh no," the man said, also looking up. His eyes were shining, a mixture of shock and horror on his face. "They're coming!"

"What's coming?" Sasuke asked frantically, turning in time to see the guy lunging for him. He gaped, taking a step back in a vain attempt to avoid him, and he ended up tripping over his own feet. He fell to the ground in a heap, pain spiking up from his cut shoulder. He saw the man jump over him, dark shadows covering most of his body. Sasuke quickly turned over onto his stomach to watch as the man went to stand before him.

"Please, get up! And if you can, get back to your house and lock the door! Don't tell anyone what you've seen!"

Sasuke wanted to question him more, he needed to get answers now. He opened his mouth to protest, but the man looked over at him, his eyes shimmering.

"I'll come back for you. I promise; I'll come back and we can talk for as long as you want."

There was such conviction in his voice; such a strong will and intent to keep the promise that Sasuke could only close his mouth and nod, placing belief in his words. He pushed himself up and stared at the man for a second.

"...Don't get killed," he said softly, for it was all he could say. The man smiled at him, and Sasuke had the feeling that had it not been tinged with worry and a fair amount of irritation at their predicament, that smile would be an award winning one that would melt hearts.

"Trust me; I've been doing this for a long time."

Sasuke nodded once and turned, beginning to run back. He could hear the howls getting closer, and the sounds of snarling was also becoming audible, and his heart thrashed against his ribcage as he rounded the corner.

"Shit!" he skidded to a halt when he saw three large, vicious creatures. They were the same as the ones that bit him. Dark, ragged fur, wild eyes and foaming mouths; wolf-like, and yet still they seemed other-worldly in the moonlight. He took a step back, eyes darting around frantically. There was more howling, a vicious roar from somewhere behind him and he knew a fight had already broken out by the man; but he didn't know what was supposed to happen here.

One of the creatures took a step forward, letting out a sharp bark that morphed into a snarl before it was finished, and Sasuke's heart sank. How was he going to get passed these things? His eyes slid to the side and widened when he saw a pitchfork was propped against the wall, obviously waiting to be used in the morning once more. With a quick glance at the creatures, he lunged for it as they lunged for him. His hand closed around the wooden pole and he swung it around. A sharp yelp sounded as the spiked end slammed into the face of the first one, sending it rolling to the side where it got up and shook its whole body. Sasuke gripped his weak weapon tightly. He was not skilled in fighting; the most he'd ever fought was in a fist fight with a smart-ass rival reporter who made the mistake of insulting his skills and even then it had been short-lived since his brother and Kakashi pulled him off the man before he could seriously get into it.

The next wolf charged and he swung again, hoping to God he wouldn't miss.

He did.

The heavy bulk of the creature hit him mid-stomach, and he went flying backwards, skidding across the ground before coming to a stop. The pitchfork had fallen from his hands, and as he sat up with his hair falling into his eyes, he knew he was about to be killed.

'_How did it come to this?_' he thought, looking up and gasping as he saw the jagged teeth of the wolf heading for his face. His life was flashing before him, and he couldn't stop the sudden form of tears in his eyes; he didn't want to die! He was still young, he still had dreams and ambitions he wished to accomplish. There was so much he hadn't done, so many things he had that he still wanted to correct. Regrets were piling on as time slowed down around him, and he wished above all that he'd just never come to this damned village.

* * *

_"Sasuke, I have a job for you!"_

_The Uchiha looked up at his boss and brother, a scowl sliding on his face._

_"Great. If you're smiling like that, then this job is going to suck," he grumbled. Itachi chuckled, leaning on the wall of his cubicle and winking._

_"Always the comedian. Now then, here's the assignment; you'll be dealing with a lady named Tsunade, the village head. From the sound of it, she knows the most so this might go pretty fast if she can tell you everything right away. You'll just need to do some cross-references, get a few local points of view and flesh it out until we can pump out another fat, juicy baby for the hags and hobos out there to devour!" he said, smirking when Sasuke gave him a disgusted look._

_"You're a sick man Itachi. Sometimes I really hate being related to you," Sasuke huffed, standing and pushing passed his brother. Itachi gave him a mock look of sadness._

_"Oh, you wound me!"_

_"I wish."_

_He left his brother there to do his theatrics and made his way to the staff kitchen, intent on some good old coffee. As he waited for it to brew, someone slid up beside him._

_"I heard you've got a new assignment?" Kakashi said with a smile, wrapping an arm over Sasuke's shoulder despite the way the Uchiha tried to throw it off. "Going to a secluded village eh? That's going to be interesting!"_

_"Hardly."_

_"Oh but it will!" Kakashi tapped Sasuke's nose playfully, pulling his finger back when Sasuke tried to bite it. "It will be interesting, because I'll be going with you! Well, technically, you're my assistant this time, but details details-"_

_"Oh fucking great, I'm stuck with the loony for a whole week in some secluded village in the middle of shit-fuck nowhere," Sasuke tossed the spoon he was using in the sink and took a large gulp of his black coffee. "Sometimes I think I should just end my misery and jump off the roof."_

_"No one says you can't; though it would be bad for business and you'd make a rather surly ghost," Kakashi said thoughtfully and laughed when Sasuke kicked at his shin before storming off. God, he hated his life sometimes. You'd think that working for a mystery-themed magazine would be somewhat interesting, but all it had done was make him one of the biggest sceptics on the planet. Everything was always a lie, there was never anything real behind their articles. All mysteries were explained, and frankly Sasuke was getting sick of it; was there nothing out there to wow him any more? It was like the world was a big joke. Sometimes he really thought that he would be better off dead; at least then there'd be some kind of surprise waiting for him._

* * *

The flash of memory, reminding him of his regretful behaviour and way of thinking, ended when the most vicious, bone-freezing growl came from behind him, and Sasuke's eyes widened when a large shadow jumped over him, crashing into the wolf. Blood sprayed outwards as long teeth sunk into the creature's neck and it howled in pain. Sasuke scooted backwards as the two large shapes hit the ground, sliding a few feet. The wolf thrashed as the shadow shook its head violently, and a horrible crack sounded before it stilled. The shadow looked up, and the oxygen in Sasuke's lungs vanished.

It was the fox-creature from before. But not only that; those eyes. Now he was certain of it.

The man and the fox were one and the same.

The gigantic creature snarled, dark lips pulled back to reveal blood-stained fangs. Glowing blue eyes surrounded by black, the crescent moon glowing in the centre, and the intense glare it was now directing at the remaining two wolves.

Sasuke watched as it lunged again, catching the next one by its leg. The fox writhed its head and he winced when the wolf's leg cracked and split, the animal letting out a screeching series of whines as it began to jerk around on the floor. Its jerking was halted soon enough when the fox snarled ripped its neck out, splashing more blood upon the ground before it lifted the corpse with its mouth and violently tossed it towards the last one. The wolf backed away, snarling in fear and anger before it ran forwards, fangs bared. It jumped and managed to catch the fox's tail.

Sasuke gasped, straightening up to his knees as the fox yelped and began to run in a circle, trying to dislodge the wolf as it viciously bit into its tail before it moved, this time sinking its teeth into the fox's thigh and making the creature trip up. Sasuke glanced around frantically, hearing the fight still go on as the fox chattered in pain and the wolf continued to bite every inch it could reach. His eyes fell on the pitchfork, lying to the side from when it had fallen from his grip. He rushed towards it, snatching it up before charging at the two fighting creatures. Two furry heads inclined towards him, and with a breathless cry he stabbed the pitchfork down, the long and sharp teeth puncturing into the wolf's neck. It screamed its pain, a sound unlike he'd ever imagine such an animal could make. He tried to push the fear crawling in his chest away, and instead tugged harshly, yanking the creature back and off of the fox. It was bucking, trying to get him off and the pitchfork was dislodged, the pole smacking him in the stomach and winding him. He was knocked back, stumbling as the wolf threw the pitchfork away and rounded on him with a bloody cry. He looked up, seeing it rear up on its hind legs as if it were an angry bear. Claws, jagged teeth, fiery eyes; every inch of the creature had seemed to change from a mere wolf to a raging demon. Sasuke couldn't _move_ he was so scared.

And then blood.

Lots of blood; it spurted into the sky and hit the ground. Drops of it flecked onto Sasuke's cheek as the fox sunk its teeth and its claws into the wolf's neck and body. The creature toppled to the ground with another howl that seemed to make the earth itself shake, but it wasn't over yet. Snarling like a demon, the fox began to rip its head backwards and forwards, repeatedly sinking its teeth into the wolf and tearing out more flesh until the entire side of its neck was ripped open to reveal veins and torn muscles and even the hint of its spine. Sasuke felt sick just looked at it, but it didn't stop. Over and over, the wolf was bitten and torn until its head was ripped right from its body, and Sasuke stumbled backwards to empty the contents of his stomach onto the ground.

He gasped as the bile, which was really just stomach acid since he hadn't eaten that night, burned his throat and made his eyes water. He coughed and choked, his stomach churning violently and his body trembling. Tears were running down his cheeks; everything was too much for him to take at this point. He wasn't a superhero, or a well trained policeman or soldier; this level of violence and horror terrified him to the point he felt he could either faint or piss his pants. The howling was still going on around them, and he reached up to cover his ears.

"SHUT UP!"

He couldn't take this. Curiosity was one thing, searching for the truth was one thing, but seeing this horror was something entirely different. He'd never expected it to come to this; he'd never imagined that he'd see something like this. He was used to things being explained, mysteries turning out to be lies made up to attract tourists.

But this was real. It was real, proven so by the pain in his body, the fear that made him cry so pathetically, the way he was shaking so hard he was about to fall over. He wanted to run and hide, bury himself under the covers of his blanket. He wanted to get out of this nightmare and go back to familiarity and safety.

He wanted to go _home_.

There were more thudding steps, more snarling and growling, and Sasuke just couldn't take it any more. He let out a sob, trying to hide away. What was he supposed to do? He wouldn't make it to the house, and even if by some God given miracle he did, what then? He wouldn't be able to forget or pretend this night never happened; it would remain in his head forever, scarring him and scaring him. He was trapped, pulled into this monstrosity of a night by the cruel hand of circumstance and curiosity.

'_What must I do? Please, just make it go away! Make it stop! Someone, anyone, please!_'

He looked up, seeing another wolf lunging for him, and he screamed to the sky as everything exploded into blackness.

"**HELP ME!**"

* * *

**And so I leave you not only with a cliffhanger, but also with the lingering threat that the next one might not come out next Monday~ Ohohoho *shoved off cliff***

**Reviews and feedback would be very appreciated! I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying this story so far! ^_^  
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**(Also, for those interested, my original series has begun, and can be found on deviantart or fictionpress. Links can be found on my profile page.)  
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	5. Chapter 5

**I'm sorry for the delay, but I did warn you before hand that I may not be able to keep to the schedule. At this point, I will write when I can and upload as soon as I finish a chapter to my content. I apologize for the wait, and for any future waiting, but there are important things I have to take care of before writing fanfiction.**

**A lot in this chapter too...and I'd say we're already heading towards the end of the story. I never planned for this to have many chapters. The individual chapters are quite long anyway, so it's still a pretty long story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and the rest to come!  
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**Warnings and Disclaimers still apply.  
**

* * *

Kakashi gripped his hair tightly, eyes wide as he stared at the massive amounts of destruction before him. Blood was everywhere, across the walls and floor, smeared over doorways and clotting around various items that had been left outside the night before. The villagers were in a state of panic as they all called for their loved ones and friends, rushing around trying to find any remains. From what he gathered, there were similar sights to this one all over the village, but this had to be the worst.

But it wasn't the blood that was making Kakashi worry.

It was the fact that Sasuke was missing.

He'd woken up to the screams of villagers and the town crying for their elder to come quickly. Sensing something had happened, he'd pulled on his shirt and shoes before throwing his notepad over to Sasuke's bed to wake him up.

And then he'd noticed that Sasuke wasn't there. At first he assumed the cranky raven had already woken up and was in the shower, or in the kitchen, or hell maybe he was already outside and Kakashi was just late as per usual. But his search of the small house had proved futile, and he'd walked around the village with no sign of his partner. He knew better than to think he'd just missed him during his short walks; Sasuke wasn't in the village.

And so Kakashi was panicking inside. He tried to keep calm, to reason that Sasuke was somewhere around nearby, maybe questioning the village elder which would explain the man being so late to this catastrophe, or maybe he was in an alleyway puking his guts out after seeing all this blood. But no matter how much he tried to reassure himself, Kakashi was worried.

"Elder! Elder!"

The people cheered as Danzou appeared, stomping his way to the sites of destruction. He eyed the bloodied remains, taking in the mangled corpses and the horrific nightmare. Kakashi watched him carefully, wondering if he was going to suddenly announce a horrific death.

"A human has been killed," Danzou said suddenly, and silence descended onto the crowd. Everyone was frozen, faces pale and eyes wide in horror as Danzou hobbled closer to one corpse that was different to the rest, but so mangled no one had dared get closer. He knelt down, dipping his free hand into the blood as he examined the remains.

"Who is it?" someone asked in a horrified whisper, and Danzou closed his eyes, standing up before he spoke in a voice that broke with sorrow.

"...It's Mark."

A woman to the right let out a scream, tears starting to pour down her face as she rushed towards the corpse only to get held back.

"NOOO! NOT MARK! NOT MY BOY!" she wailed, thrashing against the people trying to keep her away. Kakashi let his head hang in sorrow as her pained cries of emotional torture continued to fill the air, and he felt a horrid mix of guilt and relief over the fact that it had not been Sasuke. But that left the question of where his colleague was.

"Hatake," Danzou called as he approached, and Kakashi gave a short bow in greeting. "I think it's best if you retreat into your residence for now; this is a village tragedy, and I'd prefer if you and your co-worker didn't try to question anyone today...we've been through enough."

Kakashi nodded. "Of course. I promise we won't interfere at all," he said and Danzou nodded before limping off, leaving the reporter to head back towards his house. He chewed on his thumbnail, nerves starting to get shot as he worried over where Sasuke was, as well as what had just happened. His mind went back to the story Sasuke had told him last night, about the legend and so called 'true legend' behind the village.

'_Guard Dogs, huh?_' he thought, glancing back and shuddering. '_If that legend is anywhere near true, then either Mark was a threat to the village...or he got caught up in a fight involving the person who is._'

He tried not to imagine that Sasuke was someone who could be considered a threat. After all, if that was the case then so could he.

Entering the house, he leant against the door, cupping his chin in thought as he tried to come up with a plan on how to search for Sasuke without it being obvious. If the village knew Sasuke was missing, he could only imagine what they would start thinking.

He pushed away, heading into the bedroom and examining Sasuke's empty bed. Placing his palm down, he felt the sheets.

Cold.

'_He left sometime in the night,_' he thought, turning and taking note of everything left behind. Cell phone, notebook, flashlight...Sasuke hadn't taken anything he usually took with him.

'_So it was a quick impulse. Where he went, it wasn't planned, but he felt he couldn't stay behind or return to get his things,_' he crossed his arms before a thought occurred to him. _'Since I can rule out running away...then...kidnapping? Was he taken by someone? Perhaps he saw something he wasn't supposed to, something related to this Mark person's death, and so he was captured?_'

He moved to the kitchen, looking out the window at the busy village beyond. Danzou was directing several men to start cleaning the remains. The screaming woman was gone; he suspected she'd been led away from the scene by friends or family. He focused on the village leader, eyes narrowed.

'_...Why isn't he asking about Genma? Surely he would notice his subordinate was missing...and Sasuke said that Kabuto was keeping Genma hidden until he either died or recovered...so for Danzou to not be asking for him means...he already knows where he is, or he believes he's dead._'

Kakashi's eyes narrowed further. Years of being a reporter, and even before then being part of special forces in the police department, had taught him how to sniff out a plot when it was present. From the start he'd felt there was something off about the village, but he knew when it was a bad idea to shove his nose into a mess that wasn't his to clean. He'd wanted to do his job and go home.

But now Sasuke was missing, and Kakashi wasn't going to ignore his gut feelings anymore. Itachi would have his head if he let his brother vanish without getting to the bottom of things.

He watched as Danzou continued to order people around outside. Then he turned and headed back into the bedroom, grabbing his phone, Sasuke's flashlight and notebook, and pulling out his own switchblade that he brought with. Tucking it away, he pulled his jacket on and shoved some boots onto his feet.

'_There's only two places Sasuke could be now, if he's alive,_' he thought, heading over to the window at the back and sliding it open. He peered out, seeing the back streets were empty and desolate. He vaulted out the window, landing in a slight crouch to lessen the noise before heading down the side, keeping low and out of sight. '_...He's either locked in the Elder's mansion...or he's in the forest._'

He heard movement and quickly ducked behind a stack of old boxes, keeping quiet as two men stomped passed, carrying torn remains. He waited until they were gone before continuing on, eyes trained and ears perked for any noise.

'_Sasuke, wherever you are...you'd better be breathing._'

* * *

The sounds of arguing were muffled by the dirty walls, but he could vaguely make out several sentences that did little to calm his already unsettled nerves.

"-Completely ruined! We can't-"

"-taken by surprise, so he can't be blamed-"

"-too much of a risk to keep him alive-"

The fighting continued, loud voices underlined with animalistic growls and he thought he could hear claws growing and clicking together as fingers flexed. He raised his dirty hands, covering his ears and trying to get some semblance of sanity back. He was shaking, from cold and shock, and he swore he would never be able to wash the blood off of him at this rate.

'I need to calm down...I have to...to think clearly,' he thought, closing his eyes as a massive tremor ran through his body. '_Think...I have to think...I have to understand if I want to get out of this nightmare...I need to understand..._'

The door was flung open, the weak rays of pre-sunrise light tumbling in to barely illuminate his dark surroundings. He scooted backwards, hitting the wooden wall behind him as he looked up at the silhouette entering his prison.

"You're up."

The voice was gruff and mean, and he shivered a little as the man took another step. Despite his trembling, he glared up at the face he couldn't see with as much defiance as he could muster. He may have been scared beyond his wits, but if he had one thing, it was an immense amount of pride. Enough had been sacrificed the night before, he was gathering it back now.

"Oho, looks like you've still got some guts left in you. Maybe you're not a waste of time after all," the voice said, this time sounded less mean and a little more encouraging. A hand wrapped around his wrist, tugging and he was pulled to his feet, joints aching from being locked in the cold cell for a while. His guard pulled him towards the door, and he raised a hand to try and block his eyes when the first ray of a real sunlight began to dart past the tree-tops and splash into his face.

When his eyes adjusted, he took in his surroundings; tall trees, dirty cliff walls and very dangerous drop-offs to the right. The left was nothing but thick forest and vines, with no discernible pathway to freedom. Over the tree tops at the bottom of the cliff, he could just make out the tips of the village buildings.

"Come on!"

He was roughly tugged to the side and stumbled, turning quickly to get a good look at his captor. Wild brown hair, tanned skin, muscular and wearing ragged and tattered clothing.

'_Definitely not someone I could take on in a fight,_' he thought darkly as he was yanked through muddy ground and close to the edges of the cliffs before they finally arrived a small, make-shift shack that looked ready to collapse in on itself. He was dragged to the front door and then shoved through it, tripping over his own feet and slamming into the ground with a pained grunt.

"Hey! Don't be so rough, dammit!" a familiar voice snarled, and he felt hands on his shoulders, urging him up. "Geez, are you okay? I'm sorry about this; they're not used to dealing with people kindly."

He looked up, meeting kind and concerned blue eyes. All he could do was look away, biting back any words. He felt calmer now that the blond was here, but that didn't get rid of the lingering fear and suspicion he was feeling.

"This is your best bet?" a new voice said slowly, dark and sinister. "He's pathetic. How is this Outsider going to help us in anyway? We should just kill him and be done with it."

He tensed, wondering if his death was really going to be now, here, of all places. Tan hands gripped his shoulders and he looked up, meeting deep blue eyes that burned into his.

"I won't let them kill you. I promise."

The blond stood up, a grim scowl on his face. "Give him a break, Gaara. He's not used to our lifestyle; last night was the first time he'd ever seen something like that. Anyone would be weak-kneed afterwards."

The one called Gaara let out a ferocious snarl, hands shooting out and grabbing the spindly wooden table before he flung it across the room, smashing it against the wall.

"We don't have time for his weak-knees!" he roared, his words slightly slurred by the purely animal-growl that his voice took on. "I will not let your soft heart interfere with what we're destined to do!"

There was another snarl, the blond's lips pulling back to reveal his fangs growing rapidly as his face contorted, starting to appear more fox-like than before. He lunged, grabbing Gaara around the neck and slamming him into the wall.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking I've gone soft, Gaara!" he growled. "I'm more aware of the consequences of a soft heart than any of you!" he directed his gaze at the third man standing in the doorway. Tan arms were held up.

"Calm down Naruto. You're starting to grow fur," he said blandly, nodding at the blond. He looked down, seeing the hair on his arms had indeed gotten darker and longer. Releasing Gaara with a dark growl, he stepped back and took a deep breath, his hair turning lighter once more as his features melted back into the handsome canvas they had been before.

"...Forgive me."

"Let's not do this now," the brunet said, before walking over to the man still on the ground and kneeling before him. "You, Outsider. What's your name?" he asked shortly.

Slowly, onyx eyes moved up to meet thin dark slits decorated with crescent moons, and chapped lips pulled back.

"...Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke." His voice didn't waver or crack, and he was thankful. He was starting to calm down, despite being in this situation. He supposed he was probably just going into a type of emotional shock. He didn't mind; if he was apathetic, he would be able to make sense of things quicker than if he was a jittery mess. "Who are you people? _What_ are you people? ...And what do you want with me?"

The brunet smirked. "Straight to the point; I like that. Well Uchiha, my name is Kiba. The snarly red-head giving you the death-eyes is Gaara. And the squishy fluff-bunny with the bleeding heart is Naruto."

A hand slapped across the back of Kiba's head, and he let out a dog-like yelp. But there was a smile on Naruto's face.

"Shut up Kiba. Sasuke...so that's your name. I'm sorry we didn't really have a chance to introduce ourselves before," Naruto chuckled weakly. "But, you know, we were kind of running for our lives."

Sasuke just blinked. "What do you want from me?" he asked softly.

"Simply put, we want your help," Kiba said, sitting back on his haunches and scratching at his stubble-covered chin. "You see, there's a bit of a problem-"

"More like a fucking catastrophe," Gaara grumbled to himself, and the other two sent him warning looks. He just turned his head.

"There's a big problem," Naruto continued, moving over to sit on the floor next to Sasuke and keeping eye contact with him. "The village is in serious danger. It's our...it's our responsibility to protect it, but that's become impossible for several reasons."

Sasuke nodded slowly, eyes closing. "You need my help to get around those 'reasons', correct?" he muttered.

"He's a smart one," Kiba grinned, fangs prominent. "Maybe Naruto's onto something with this guy, Lady Ga-ga," he added, turning to the red head. Quick as a flash, the latter vaulted out of his seat, snarling as he slammed into the brunet who yelped back. The two started rolling around on the floor, biting at each other and making sounds that were definitely not supposed to be made by humans. They sounded like dogs fighting.

'_This is crazy,_' Sasuke thought, running a hand over his face. It was crazy, but it was happening. He knew by the pain in his body that this wasn't just a bad dream. But now he had to figure out how to end the nightmare of this reality. "What am I supposed to do?"

"For a start, we need more information," Naruto said, smiling as he quickly crawled over to a box in the corner. He rummaged through it, pulling out some letters and carrying them back to Sasuke. "We had an ally in the village before, who was gathering the information for us. But he was caught and attacked yesterday. Last night we had to retrieve him."

Sasuke blinked, something clicking. "...Genma was your spy?"

Naruto blinked and the other two stopped their fight to turn to him, lying side by side on the floor and covered in scratch marks.

"...You really are quick on the uptake," Naruto said, sounding quite awed. "Yeah, Genma was our spy. How did you know?"

Sasuke leant his head back against the wall, looking up at the dirty ceiling. "I was the one who found him, along with that undertaker Kabuto."

"Ah, so you know Kabuto too," Kiba scooted towards them. "Not a very pleasant character is he? Makes your skin crawl, right?"

"He gave me answers," Sasuke shrugged. "I don't care if he's slimy or not, if someone can answer my question, they're useful. Those who can't are not."

Gaara smirked a little at that while Kiba huffed and mumbled "You must be a reporter" under his breath. Naruto chuckled again.

"Well, anyway, Genma was our spy, but he got caught and attacked, so he's unable to continue. He was so close too...he said in his last message that he would be able to tell us what we needed to know once we got him out...but he's in no position to say anything now," Naruto looked towards another doorway, and in the dim light Sasuke could make out two figures lying on two beds. He figured one was Genma...and the other...

"Holy shit," he breathed, eyes widening. "Is that Tsunade?"

Once more, every eye was on him.

"...Are you sure he's an outsider?" Kiba asked, frowning. "Because he seems to know a shitload about the people and the village."

"Tsunade was the one we originally spoke to before arriving at the village," Sasuke cut in. "My bro...my boss was in contact with her for weeks while they agreed on doing the article about the village. She was supposed to be the one we spoke to, but when we arrived...Danzou was in charge."

Sasuke didn't fail to notice the way all three men around him growled in their throats at the mere mention of the name. He swallowed, wondering if he could ask or if they'd cut him out immediately. But he was here now, and this situation was already bad...making it a little worse wouldn't hurt too much.

"What's the deal with Danzou?" he asked, staring right at Naruto. "Who is he, really? It's obvious he's not just some old village man who was forced to take on leadership."

"You're right about that," Naruto mumbled and then sighed. "The thing is, we don't really know much about him either."

Sasuke blinked. "...Why not?"

"Because he wasn't part of the village originally," Kiba said and Sasuke turned to look at him in surprise. "He was an Outsider, just like you. But he came to the village several years back and never seemed like anything to be concerned about. He was old, decrepit and the few times I spotted him, I could have sworn he was going to kick the bucket then and there."

"How were you able to see him if you weren't allowed in the village?" Sasuke questioned, narrowing his eyes. There was an uncomfortable silence before Gaara walked towards him, standing right in front of him. His eyes were cold as he looked down at him, and Sasuke wondered what line he could've crossed.

Suddenly, there was a cracking sound before Gaara hunched, letting out a shaky, rough breath. Sasuke's eyes bulged as he stared, watching as dark brown fur started to sprout over Gaara's body, tearing through his already tattered clothes. His face elongated and shrunk, contorting as fur started to cover it and his teeth grew sharp as he let out a groan. His legs broke, bending the wrong way as they reformed from human legs to those of an animal.

Sasuke had stopped breathing; just staring in absolute shock as the man before him turned into a wolf, though like before it wasn't entirely wolf. Gaara's form was different in a new way; his face wasn't as long, his ears were shorter than a wolf's ear, and his tail was thicker. There were also ring marking around his eyes and tail.

'_He's like...a raccoon cross-breed or something,_' he gulped, leaning back when the new creature...when Gaara, leaned in close and growled in his face.

"That's his way of saying, it's not really your business," Kiba supplied helpfully, completely unfazed by his comrade's transformation. Sasuke nodded quickly and Gaara backed off, slinking out the front door with a few low grunts and growls. Kiba and Naruto waved to him, obviously understanding whatever he'd said before turning back to Sasuke.

"He's getting food," Naruto said with a smile. Sasuke glanced at him, feeling a little calmer now that the one who obviously hated him was gone. Gaara clearly thought he should be killed. Kiba was less intimidating, but Sasuke wasn't so sure. He'd seen the few distrustful looks the brunet tossed his way.

Naruto was the only one he felt he could trust. That same strange, peaceful feeling was lingering around him when the blond was near, and it was the only real hope he could hold onto in this current predicament. They hadn't been able to talk properly before, and he doubted they'd be able to talk as thoroughly as he wanted now...but at least they could talk at all and hopefully some things would be answered.

"So you never explained what you want me to do, exactly," Sasuke muttered. Naruto nodded, scooting closer.

"We need information on who Danzou really is, and how he's been able to achieve what he has. Sasuke...we, as in Kiba, Gaara and I...we're what the village would call-"

"Guard Dogs," Sasuke cut in and was met with two wide eyed stares. He smirked. "Kabuto gave me plenty of answers. I know about the legends; how the village was attacked when it was first built, and so three men prayed to the deity they worshipped to gain the strength to defend the village. They were turned into creatures, but once they defeated the enemies, the village exiled them from their homes, leaving them to guard it from outside."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Basically, yes. Though, we're not the men in the story," he said, smiling. "Those were our ancestors."

"...So it's passed down?" Sasuke asked and they both nodded. Kiba scratched behind his ear.

"We grew up in the village to be completely honest. We had friends, family...we were living normal lives. Though, admittedly we were always treated differently by the elders in the village. They treated us with sympathy, respect...and fear," he mumbled, rolling onto his back while Naruto looked out the window. "Then, when we hit a certain age, we had our first transformations. By this point, the whole legend was changed, and our role as Guard Dogs was kept a secret from most of the village; only the elders knew that it was true. Everyone else thought it was just a story."

"So you were exiled?"

"We were asked to leave the village," Naruto smiled and nodded towards the room. "Tsunade wasn't the village elder back then, but she was one of the people who knew of the truth. She helped us build this little house, and always delivered fresh food to us. Eventually, the old village elder passed away, and she took his place. She visited less, but we understood. Her job was time-consuming; keeping a whole village running. We never had to go near the village while she was in charge."

"But then Danzou became part of the Elders," Kiba growled, his fist curling. "We don't know the details, but we do know that after he joined, the other elders began to die. At first we thought it was natural; they were old after all, and some were already sickly. But when they just dropped like flies, we got suspicious. Tsunade was too, but she didn't want us to get involved yet."

Sasuke scratched his chin in thought, absently noting he needed to shave. He was surprised that neither of the three men before him were sporting beards, but he guessed that they weren't wild-men...they just lived in the forest, unable to live in the village.

"Wait..." his eyes widened "That's why Tsunade allowed us to come!" he shot up, realization knotting in his head. "She knew something was wrong, but she didn't want you three to get involved because that would be troublesome...so she got us to come here in the hopes that our investigation into the legend would reveal the cause for the Elder's deaths!"

"You think so?" Naruto asked, looking up in surprise. "She never told us you were coming...I was really surprised when I first saw you on the road," he said, rubbing his side. Sasuke winced, realizing that it had been Naruto that they hit on the road.

"Right...sorry about that," he mumbled, but the blond smiled and waved his hand dismissively.

"You seem...to be handling this all rather well," he noted, blue eyes shining up at him. "I mean...you do realize you're talking to a bunch of guys that turn into vicious wolf-like monsters due to an ancient curse from a strange deity...right?"

"I'm sure I'll go into shock soon," Sasuke muttered, leaning against the wall. "But right now I want to solve this whole mystery. Besides," he smirked weakly, glancing at the two before him. "It's my job."

Kiba smirked back and Naruto looked very impressed and pleased.

"So would you be willing to help us? We just need to know Danzou's secret; what is he really up to, and what are his plans. We're certain he's the root of all of this. You know those wolves we fought last night?" Naruto asked, waiting until Sasuke nodded before continuing. "Those things only showed up when the Elder's began to die. At first we thought they were normal wolves. But they're not; they're too aware. And they target specific people. There's no such thing as a random attack with these wolves...they know who they're hunting."

"Like they're being ordered," Sasuke caught on and the two nodded. "You think Danzou is somehow controlling wolves?"

"That's the problem; we don't think they're normal wolves. They're too..." the blond searched for a word, and Kiba spoke up.

"Too much like us. Their height, their strength, their awareness of their goals. It's almost like we're fighting each other," he stood up and walked to the window, eyes glaring out at the rising sun. "It's almost like Danzou managed to create them himself..."

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he thought, cupping his chin. '_If Danzou is creating them...what is he using? And how would he gain this knowledge in the first...holy shit,_' he looked up.

"Orochimaru," he said, and two heads snapped to him at once.

"What?" Naruto asked softly.

"Orochimaru, the old doctor. He was doing illegal trading and such, right? What was he trading?"

"Organs," Kiba growled. "Organs, medicines, hand-made drugs. It was a huge mess."

"You killed him, right?" Sasuke asked quietly. He received a heavy silence as reply, and shook his head. "Never mind. But listen...Danzou and Orochimaru knew each other, correct?"

"Yes. Orochimaru was born in the village, but he was on good terms with Danzou, from what I remember," Naruto said slowly, a look of confusion on his face. "Why?"

"Think about it; Orochimaru was a doctor, and a dealer of illegal drugs and organs. He was also interested in the legend to the point of obsession. From what Kabuto told me...from what you've told me and what I've seen," Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. "...What if Orochimaru somehow discovered a scientific way to mutate people in the same way that you are able to transform?"

The silence that followed that was nothing short of stunned. Kiba's mouth hung open, his eyes bulging and the red tattoos on his cheeks stretched. Naruto had an expression that made it look like someone had just slapped him with a wet fish covered in cream.

"That's an interesting theory."

Sasuke jumped a foot in the air when the voice spoke behind him, and he stumbled away from the door as Gaara came trudging back in, heaving a dead deer over his shoulders. He grunted as he tossed the carcass onto the table, dusting off his hands and turning to Sasuke with a blank stare.

"If that is truly how those wolves came to be, then it further points to Danzou being behind it. If Orochimaru did create something like that, it would make sense as to why Danzou was able to complete it. And with him being the village leader, it would be easy for him to get new test subjects."

"Exactly," Sasuke said, heart pounding. He hadn't felt this kind of adrenaline rush in years; the rush that came with solving a big mystery, unravelling the dark corners and pulling it to light. He almost felt like grinning, but he couldn't. Not yet.

"We need proof," Naruto mumbled, taking a seat. He looked at his hands, flexing his fingers. "These theories make sense, they are definitely plausible...but unless we have hard evidence that Danzou is at fault, a direct eye witness statement that he's behind it, then we can't...we can't do a thing about it."

"Why not?" Sasuke asked, turning to him. "Why can't you just walk right into his house and search for the evidence yourself? You're the Guard Dogs! The village is in danger, it's pretty fucking obvious that Danzou is behind most of it...why are you relying on spies and lingering out here instead of getting in there and solving it yourselves?"

"Because we can't," Naruto sighed, rubbing his face. Sasuke scowled.

"Well why not?"

"We can't," Kiba said weakly, shrugging his shoulders. Sasuke rounded on him, getting irritated.

"Well why the fuck not?!" he snapped.

Gaara's arm swung around, slamming into his neck and knocking him back. He choked, hitting the wall before the red head was in his face, pinning him back and glaring at him.

"Because, you ignorant whelp, we _physically cannot _set foot in that village during the day unless we already have a valid target, proven to be a threat to the village!" he snarled, fangs growing and the crescents in his eyes shining brighter than before. Sasuke shuddered, fear skittering through his veins at the glare. He swallowed thickly and nodded, and Gaara roughly shoved him away.

"You think you understand, but you don't know the half of it. You have no idea what kind of lives we've had," Gaara growled darkly. "And don't make the mistake of thinking you can lead us...remember this, Outsider," he leant closer to Sasuke's face, his threat and serious air clear. "If you stop being useful to us, or start acting like a threat in any way...we'll kill you."

Naruto looked like he wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut and stared at his hands. Kiba was just staring at Sasuke disinterestedly. The raven nodded slowly, keeping quite. He had momentarily forgotten that he was in a dangerous position; the sudden rush of understanding and discovery had distracted him. But now he was reminded that he was scraping past death with every breath; these three could kill him at any time. If he wanted to get out of this alive, he would have to solve this mystery once and for all.

"...I understand."

"Good," Gaara backed off and addressed the others. "If we're using this outsider, we'd better get him back now. I checked up on the village; they've already discovered the remains from last night's fight, and Danzou seems to be getting everyone into action for something. If they discover this guy is missing, he won't be any use to us as a spy."

Naruto and Kiba nodded and stood up, the former walking over to Sasuke and coaxing him away from the wall. He tried to smile, but it was clouded with concern.

"I'm sorry that you've been dragged into this...but you're our last chance at getting what we need to end this nightmare."

Sasuke just nodded, not really up to speaking at the moment. He studied the pathway that they were taking; it was twisting and winding, hidden behind bushes and thick trees and ducking around fallen branches and low ditches. He found it a little hard to get passed some of the obstacles, but the other three didn't seem to have any trouble.

He let out a grunt when his foot sunk in a rabbit hole. Before he could fall flat on his face, a tan hand reached out and steadied him. He turned to Naruto, who was smiling at him again.

"Watch your step."

"Thanks."

Up ahead, Kiba coughed into his hand, a word hidden amidst the growling. Naruto scowled and threw a rock at him, but he dodged it by back-flipping over a log like it was an everyday occurrence. Gaara just stomped ahead, and it was clear to Sasuke that he never indulged in their frolicking.

"We're almost there," Gaara announced eventually as they crossed a small stream. Sasuke shook out his feet, shivering from the cold water before he was grabbed around the middle and hauled into the air. It took a lot of effort to contain his indignant yell as Kiba jumped, carrying him over the deeper section of the river like he weighed nothing. The brunet set him down and patted his shoulder.

"Can't have you soaking wet; it'll be hard enough for you to explain your dirty clothes if you get caught," he grinned and Sasuke nodded, brushing himself off as best as he could.

"Alright, so listen Sasuke," Naruto said as the looming walls of the village came into sight. "We need you to try and get into Danzou's house, the Elder's Mansion, and just...go through his stuff. Genma found something...something that would count as the evidence we need to do what we have to. You have to find what he did and send us word, or the evidence if possible. When you get it, head back to this spot and whistle; our messenger will come. Hand him the evidence or your note, and then get back to your place and stay there. If all goes well, this will be over by tomorrow. Just stay in your residence, and once things are done we'll come find you confirm it's safe."

"Answer me this," Sasuke said, looking up at the tall walls. "Why can't you set foot in the village during the day?"

The three exchanged glances, Kiba and Naruto looking hesitant and Gaara looking highly annoyed.

"...The Curse won't allow us to," Kiba eventually mumbled, looking at the wall with a very forlorn expression. Naruto patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"The Curse?" Sasuke questioned, brows rising. "It...It physically stops you?"

"Something like that," Naruto shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess you could say that we have a territory; the places we are allowed to go, and the places we aren't. We can't set foot beyond the forest borders around here...and we can't set foot into the village during the day without...without destroying it."

Sasuke was going to question more. What did they mean by that after all? But before he could get a word in, Gaara had grabbed the front of his shirt and was dragging him towards a section of the wall.

"Come on Outsider; it's time for you to do your new job," he growled. "Get that information by tonight, or I'll be paying you and your partner a visit. Understand?"

Sasuke nodded, scowling.

"Be careful," Naruto said, coming up to them and pulling Gaara's hand off. "And...and if you get into trouble," blue eyes looked straight into his, that strange bond they shared filling Sasuke with peace and trust, "...Call for me, and I'll come to help."

The Uchiha nodded and turned, seeing that there was a spot for him to scale over the wall here.

"You're only a street away from your house. Get in there without being seen, and no one will know you weren't in the village," Kiba smirked. The three stood back as Sasuke started to scale the wall, his fingers slipping on the surface but he refused to fall. He clamoured up to the top, resting on the edge before glancing down in time to see three wolf-like creatures, one red, one brown and one white, darting through the trees and heading back towards the mountains. Taking a deep breath, he looked towards the Elder's Mansion, seeing the dark and foreboding structure. Suddenly things felt a lot more serious than before; as if the presence of the men...or the presence of Naruto had kept him floating above the sickening reality that he was dealing with a possible murderer armed with scientific witchcraft. He tried not to start panicking as he climbed down, landing ungracefully on his backside. He looked around, searching for any witnesses, but he was in the back alleys and no one was peering out at him.

He darted down the alleyway, ducking down when he heard people walking close by. There was a very solemn air about the village, and he wondered what had happened in the morning when people saw the carnage from the night before. From what he knew, Kiba and Gaara had also encountered some of those strange wolves when they were fetching Genma, so he could only imagine how many bodies were scattered around the village this time.

Reaching their residence, he searched for a way to get in without having to go around the front. He found an open window which made him frown, having no memory of leaving this window open before. He glanced around nervously before climbing inside, trying to be as quiet as possible. With any luck, Kakashi would have been asleep or in the shower, but when he checked the man wasn't in his bed and the bathroom door was open, revealing it to be empty.

He wondered if Kakashi was out in the village, asking questions, as he quickly stripped out of his dirty clothes and got into the shower. He hissed as some bruises from the night before stung under the hot spray, but he massaged out the knots in his muscles and scrubbed himself clean, as if the act would wash away all the worries.

He stepped out and quickly got dressed, trying to come up with a plan on how to do what he was now tasked to do. He had to get into Danzou's mansion somehow, but what excuse could he use? He supposed he could say it was for the magazine; use an interview as an excuse. But it would be hard to do it alone. If he could get Kakashi to help him, that would be better. But for that to happen, he first needed to find his damn partner.

He looked outside, seeing the few people that were walking around looking very sad and nervous, huddling close together and forever glancing at the walls of the village. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, wondering what Danzou had fed them to explain the remains from last night.

He sighed, scratching an itch on his cheek and rested his hands on the kitchen counter, biting his lip. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to go out and look for Kakashi. He knew the man could take care of himself, but a small part of him was concerned that, in his absence, Kakashi had gotten captured, or kicked out of the village.

That thought made him jump; what if he had been? Then Sasuke was stuck here!

He rushed back to the bedroom and ripped open Kakashi's draw, his heart sinking when he noticed that some of the man's things were gone. But only some; why were the rest left here?

'_What happened to him?_' he wondered, feeling dread creep up on him. He moved to sit on his own bed, resting his chin on his hands. It was still early in the day, so he had some time to try and find a way into the mansion. If he couldn't rely on entering with permission, he would have to try and sneak in. Perhaps he could use a back way; Kabuto may know one. It was worth a try, he guessed.

He stood again, heading into the bathroom to splash some water on his face, helping him calm down as he got worked up with thinking again. He was drying his face when he heard a thudding sound, and he froze.

Again...and again...

He looked up carefully, listening. It sounded like someone was climbing through the window. Paranoia infected his mind like a parasite and he backed up, pressing himself against the bathroom wall and keeping his breath steady. He peered around the corner as carefully as he could, his heart thudding painfully when he saw a black-coated figure crouched on the floor. Ducking back inside the bathroom, he tried to think of something to do, looking around frantically. His eyes fell on the wooden bar that their towels were hung on, and he quickly lifted it from the resting beams, the towels silently falling to the floor as he held it tightly and braced himself.

Then he leapt from the bathroom, swinging his make-shift weapon towards the intruder's head. At the last moment the figure swept back, elbowing him in the gut while its other arm lifted, knocking the wooden pole off-course and snatching it from his grip before he felt another elbow collide against his head, flooring him. He coughed, shaking and trying to get the spots out of his eyes as the figure turned fully and then-

"Holy shit, Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked up, wincing in pain, to be met with Kakashi pulling his hood off, eyes wide.

"I thought you were an intruder!" the silver-haired man said, crouching and tugging him up. "I heard you coming and my reflexes kicked in. And where the fuck have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"I was...out," Sasuke gasped, clutching his stomach and hissing in pain. "Jesus Kakashi, you almost put your arm through my spine!"

"Sorry kid, reflex," Kakashi shrugged, tugging his jacket off his arms. "Now, you say out. By out, do you mean...outside the village?"

Sasuke sat down, rubbing his stomach and looking up at his colleague intently. In his current situation, the only one he could really trust one hundred percent was Kakashi. After all, there was no real way to tell if Naruto and the others were being completely honest. He was used to hearing sob stories, only to find out the supposed victim was the villain the whole time. It was a sick circle to get caught in, and he sincerely hoped that wasn't the case.

But he could never be too careful.

"Kakashi, I'm going to need your help," he began and the man took a seat opposite him.

"...Something obviously happened to you," Kakashi mumbled. "What's going on?"

"We need to get into Danzou's mansion. There's...there's something I need to find, and I have to find it by tonight."

"What sort of thing is it?" Kakashi questioned, eyes narrowing. Sasuke met his stare with the most serious expression he owned.

"Evidence. Evidence about murders and...possibly genetic experimentation."

"Holy hell Sasuke," Kakashi scratched his head, gripping his hair and sighing. "Shit...I hate it when my gut is on to something."

So Kakashi had suspected it too. Sasuke had to give the man credit for having good instincts.

"I know. It's crazy, but I think that's what we're dealing with. We need to get into Danzou's mansion somehow, and then I'll need time to explore it and find the evidence."

"And what then? You find this evidence, and then what? We call the cops? By the time they arrive, if they even do, we'll most likely be skewered and used as scarecrows in the fields," Kakashi said, motioning towards the rest of the village. "This is a secluded village; these people look to their Elder for everything and follow him without question. If he says we must be sacrificed, you can bet your ass they'll have an altar prepared in minutes."

"I know that. We won't be calling the cops," Sasuke hushed him. "Once I find the evidence, I'll send it to...someone special. And then we get the hell out of the village. It'll be taken care of."

"That sounds awfully shady Sasuke," Kakashi muttered darkly. "Someone special? Who exactly are you doing this for? Why are you doing it? Why can't we just leave and inform the police of suspected foul play once we're safely out of this crazy place?"

"Because if we leave now, we're likely to get killed."

Sasuke spoke seriously, knowing that it would be useless to beat around the bush at this point.

"Kakashi...the legend is real. The Guard Dogs are real. I've met them."

"Hold up, whoa and just wait one damn second," Kakashi stared at him incredulously. "You've met them? Them? Guard Dogs? A real legend? Sasuke, did you eat some mushrooms while you were on your nature walk?"

"Dammit Kakashi, I'm not kidding and I'm not crazy. I was dragged out of the village by them last night! I saw the fight happened last night! I saw those wolves; they attacked me and they attacked one of the...all of the Guard Dogs. I was speaking to them not even an hour ago!"

"Oh and you're certain they aren't just bandits using the legend to get some Intel on the village?"

"I saw them transform, Kakashi. I saw them turn from men into monsters," Sasuke ran a hand over his face. "I know it's crazy. Believe me, I still can't come to grips with it myself, but it's the truth. I have no reason to lie about this. This legend is as real as you and me and shit is a hair's breadth away from hitting the fan right now. If we don't get the information on Danzou to these guys by tonight, then one of them is going to hunt _us_ down instead!"

Kakashi let out a slow breath, hunching over his knees. "...This job sucks," he groaned and Sasuke had to agree with him. "...Alright, say we do this. Say we help these guys. Will they be so willing to let us go now that we know about them, and their existence? I'm pretty sure that the knowledge of them is something that outsiders aren't supposed to know."

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly. He had thought of that. While he'd been climbing the wall, and while he'd been thinking earlier, the thought that they would become a 'threat' to the village since they knew crossed his mind. He knew it was a very likely situation.

"...That's why the moment we send the information, we pack and we go. We run. They can't set foot outside the forest borders, so once we get clear of that, we'll be safe," he said softly. He tried not to think of the guilt he felt. Naruto had told him to stay in the house and wait for them to come to him once it was over. But though he felt a strong connection with the blond, one that he didn't understand and that both scared and amazed him, he couldn't go against his own instincts and knowledge. The simple facts were the only sure fire way that he and Kakashi would be able to escape was if they got out of the village while Naruto, Kiba and Gaara were distracted with Danzou. And once they left the forest borders, they would be safe as none of the three could pursue them further than that.

Kakashi was silent, contemplating it. He could see that Sasuke was telling the truth. The man had no reason, nor character, to lie about something like this. Sasuke wasn't a prankster, he didn't make up stories to fool others and have a good laugh, he didn't enjoy most jokes and had one of the most cynical natures around when put down to it.

"...Alright. We'll do it. But pack your things now. We're getting out of this place the moment we get out of the mansion," he instructed and Sasuke nodded, already moving to gather all his things.

"Now just comes the question of how to get in the mansion," Sasuke mumbled. "I thought of using an interview as an excuse, but I'm not sure how to do it..."

"I've got an idea that may work," Kakashi said. "I tried to get into the mansion earlier to search for you, but all the back doors and other exits are tightly locked and sealed. It's definitely a suspicious place. There was one room in particular that I noticed. It was towards the back, and all the windows were painted black and boarded. To others it might look like it's a room under renovation, but somehow I don't think so. There was something very off about the entire area there. I think if there's anything incriminating in that mansion, it's hidden in that room."

"Towards the back? How will I know which room it is from the inside?"

"We'll keep track of where we go in the mansion. It was towards the right and back, so head in that direction inside. Danzou didn't want us to interview anyone today, and asked us to stay here."

"Then the interview excuse won't work!" Sasuke cried but Kakashi hushed him, wagging his finger.

"On the contrary...we'll be using that against him. He doesn't want us to interview the people because it's a 'tragic day'. I can use that mind-set in our favour," he smirked. "I'm a reporter, Sasuke. I know plenty of tricks to use people's words against them and get what I want, or need."

Sasuke nodded, shoving some more things in his bag before looking out the window at the mansion. They were really doing this, and he sincerely hoped that things would turn out okay. He glanced out the other window, seeing the walls of the village and knowing beyond them lay the forest, the mountains...and the small shack holding three amazing and very dangerous men.

_'Guard Dogs...bound to the village, cursed to protect it against any threats...even if it means hurting people they don't want to,_' he thought, feeling pity and sympathy for them. '_...Would you really kill me, Naruto? Or do you feel the same connection I do? Do you understand what it is?_' he walked up to the window, resting his hands against the glass and remembering when Naruto had been outside, hands pressed against the glass over his and his smile so bright in the moonlight. '_...Or is that just another mystery about you that will remain unsolved?_'

"Once we've packed everything, grab your notebook. The sooner we head in and leave, the sooner we get to safety."

Sasuke bit his lip, steeling himself for what was to come. They were risking a lot, but there was little choice left.

"Alright. Let's go."

There was no turning back now.

* * *

**Shit just got real!**

**I hope you're enjoying, and please leave a review with your thoughts and feedback! They're all much appreciated! ^_^ Until next time!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delaaaaaay! -runs away-**

* * *

The room was quiet as he sat, hands linked and elbows resting on his knees. His eyes were sharp, but he wasn't really seeing anything before him. The intense blue of his irises glowed in the dim light, the crescents around his pupils bright and vivid like the moon always was in the sky at night, over their village.

Their village.

'_Can we really even call it ours?_' he thought. '_We guard it with our lives. We give up our humanity for it, and it repays us by casting us out and fearing us..._'

"_Clama__non pro nostris__fati.__"_

He turned, looking at Kiba as he walked into the room, a small smile on his face.

"I am not crying for our fate, Kiba," he muttered, turning back. "...I'm trying to understand it."

"There's no way to understand it, Naruto," Kiba said softly, taking a seat beside him. "Our fathers tried, our grandfather's tried, and our great grandfather's before that. We have never been able to comprehend how our fate works, nor shall we ever truly know. Instead we are simply guided by the Curse."

"We are not guided by it, Kiba. We are dominated by it," Naruto said darkly. "'Guided' implies that we could make different choices if we really wished. We have no choices. We have no say in the end. There's only one outcome, and it's always the same."

"And it's always necessary," Kiba reminded him roughly. "I know you feel regret and remorse over what we do, but there has not been a single instance that our actions have not been the reason our home is safe."

"I don't feel that we have a home, Kiba." Naruto was whispering, his voice weak. "...We have a cage, built by the trees, fortified by the village and controlled by the Curse."

Kiba sighed, patting his back as he stood. "Though less pleasant, even a cage can become an animal's home," he said sternly. "And you must not forget something important, Naruto. Since the day we turned thirteen...we became animals."

Naruto closed his eyes in defeat as Kiba left the darkened room. He was silent, thoughtful and sad. He knew Kiba spoke the truth, and usually he was just as accepting of it as the other two.

But since he saw Sasuke...he found himself hating the Curse more than ever before. Sasuke was human; he bled and cried and felt fear and hope. He made choices and decisions, thought out plans, went through the motions of living and surviving in a world of humans. He learned how to read and write, got a job and dealt with cities and technology.

And Naruto dealt with wild animals, and bandits and the scum of the earth as they encroached upon their territory, threatening their village and ripping their own humanity from them as they succumbed to their fates and protected it.

But it was more than envy. He did envy Sasuke for his life, no doubt. But there was more to it. If he tried to put it into words, he would say he didn't just want to live a life like Sasuke. He wanted to live a life with Sasuke. It was like a baby animal imprinting upon its parent. Sasuke was a person who had caught his interest from the moment their eyes met on the road. He was a human who had stepped out of the safety of his car, into the rain, to check up on a creature that may or may not have killed him.

Naruto was so used to outsiders being scum, nothing but scum intent on destroying what he was bound to protect and hold precious.

But Sasuke was different.

'_I don't...understand why_,' he thought, rubbing his face. There was something eating at him inside whenever he thought of the dark haired man. Something both pleasant and disturbing. Whenever he thought about it, it only got worse, but never became clearer.

He sighed heavily, standing up and leaving the dark room, letting the two sleeping occupants rest alone as he walked outside. Gaara was sitting at a fire, roasting the meat from his kill while Kiba cheerfully played with Akamaru, their little wolf-cub messenger. He stared out, seeing the sun climbing higher in the sky and covering the village below with light. He wondered whether Sasuke was already searching the mansion, or if he was still planning.

'_...This will end tonight,_' he thought, his eyes hardening as he stared at the village. _'One way or another, this threat will end...and life will resume its course._'

* * *

Sasuke had to take a deep breath as they walked up to the large front doors of Danzou's mansion. It was the most foreboding structure he'd ever come across in his life, and made so merely by the fact that he was certain there were true horrors within those walls. Kakashi led the way, appearing very calm about the fact that they were entering a highly dangerous place. But then again, Kakashi had way more experience with life or death situations than Sasuke could try to imagine. Kakashi had been part of special forces, had seen and dealt with some of the lowest forms of humanity, and had decided to keep his sanity and humanity by leaving it behind, but the scars were still there and they were surfacing now in the form of this cold, resolute and strong-willed man.

Sasuke realized then just how lucky he was to have Kakashi as his partner on this mission. Had it been anyone else, they probably would have begun to panic, would have run the moment things started to turn bad, would have assumed he was crazy and left him alone. But Kakashi gave him the benefit of the doubt, trusted his own instincts and stuck with him despite having the option to leave on his own.

"Kakashi," he called softly. Normally he wouldn't do this, but there was a chance they could both die by tonight. "...Thanks. For everything. I know I'm not exactly the most pleasant person to be stuck with...but thanks."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Sasuke. You're absolutely charming when you're fast asleep and drooling," Kakashi ruffled his hair playfully, but the underlying message was clear and Sasuke just nodded, smirking slightly.

"At least I'm not gassy."

"Touché."

Kakashi knocked firmly, glancing around.

"Remember to act natural. And I don't mean in a cheesy way, Sasuke, I mean seriously. If they catch on to us before hand, we're dead."

"I know that."

Kakashi knocked again and they heard someone approaching from the other side. Sasuke gathered another breath, preparing himself and praying that he wouldn't screw up. He was certain Kakashi would be able to handle himself perfectly well, and so he knew a lot of their success rested on his own shoulders. If he made a mistake, it was over.

The door creaked open, revealing Danzou standing there staring out at them with one eye.

"Hatake, Uchiha," he greeted. "I thought I said it would be best if you remained in your home for today and don't question anyone. We've been through a tragic morning-"

"I know, Elder Danzou, and believe me we do not wish to impose and unsettle. In fact, it's because our presence has become something unsettling that we came. We figured if you could let us have an interview with you, we could get all we need to finish our article today and we'll be able to depart and leave the village this afternoon! We'll be out of your hair in no time. I know it's been a hard day, and I certainly don't want our being here to make it any worse, so the sooner we leave the better, no?" Kakashi said calmly, a tone of understanding coating his persuasion. Sasuke kept silent, instead adopting a distant look on his face. He figured that since that was how he usually was in these situations, it was as close to natural acting as he could get.

Danzou considered his argument, studying them carefully before he sighed and nodded, opening the door further.

"I suppose you do have a point. Very well, we can have a chat in my office. I'll help you get the information you need and then I would appreciate it if you could leave. Our village is going through a lot this week, it seems..."

"Of course. Thank you and we promise it won't take too long," Kakashi said kindly, heading in. Sasuke followed, resisting the urge to glance back at the forest. The halls were dim, decorated with paintings of the village, the forest and some portraits of previous Elders. Sasuke recognized one portrait as Tsunade, from the description Itachi had given him. He hadn't gotten a good look at her back at the hut; it had been too dark and she was covered with bandages.

Danzou led them deeper and deeper into the mansion, through hallway after hallway and Sasuke tried his level best to keep track of where and when they turned so he wouldn't get lost in case he had to make a run for it. Finally, they arrived at a pair of oak doors and Danzou shouldered them open to reveal an office, nicely furnished with a dark-wood desk, two comfortable chairs, a bookshelf and several luxurious paintings on the wall that Sasuke was sure belonged to the old village heads once upon a time.

"Please, take a seat," Danzou nodded towards the chairs as he sat behind his desk with a laborious grunt. Kakashi and Sasuke sat down, pulling their notepads out. They had agreed it would be too suspicious if Sasuke asked to leave immediately, so he would join in for the initial questions.

"Thank you again for this, Elder Danzou," Kakashi said and then nudged Sasuke. "Come on Sasuke, say thank you like a polite child."

Sasuke scowled at him, but bowed his head in Danzou's direction. "Thank you, sir."

Danzou just nodded, getting comfortable. "Now then, how do we proceed?"

"Right," Kakashi clicked his pen open, as did Sasuke. "There are just some basic questions first, formalities if you will. Your name, position of authority, and if you could give us a brief summary of the village and a little of its history, that would be great," he smiled and Danzou nodded.

"My full name is Shimura Danzou, I am the Village Elder, or leader I suppose you could say. Our village was founded centuries ago; an exact date is impossible to determine without some thorough research and digging into decrepit archives in the library. We're not known for much, nor do we need much contact with the outside world; we grow our own crops of food, some of which we sell to the outside in exchange for things like medicine, special tools, ect. We have an electricity system, powered by generators, solar power. This is all a rather recent addition; in the past we used gas stoves, candles, ect-"

Danzou spoke slowly, and while normally this was something that Sasuke would find annoying in an interview, he was thankful. If Danzou spoke this slowly for all the questions, it only meant even more time for him to investigate. As they got the formality questions out of the way, Sasuke began to slowly squirm, shifting his legs in his seat. Eventually, he deemed that he'd done enough acting to lead up to this deciding moment.

"Agh, sorry," he interrupted, pressing a hand to his forehead in mock aggravation. "Is there a bathroom around here?" he asked, looking at Danzou. The old man nodded, sitting a little straighter in his chair and pointing out the door.

"Yes, down the hall to the right. There's a door. Don't worry, it's labelled, so you should find it easily," he said and Sasuke nodded as he stood.

"You can continue the interview," he said to Kakashi. It's what he would've said if they were in a normal situation. "I'll just reference back to your notes when we're writing the article."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Pardon me," he put his notepad down onto his chair, an effect to make it seem like he expected to come back for it. In reality, he had a piece of paper tucked into his pocket along with a small pen. He planned to use that when it came time to send evidence to Naruto.

Stepping out the door, he closed it quietly and began walking in the direction Danzou had mentioned, just to make sure that if the man peeked out his door, he'd be going the right way.

When he reached the corner, he spotted the door to the bathroom. Glancing back, he briefly opened the door...and then shut it again. Seeing that no one peered out, he turned and hurried the other way, keeping his steps as light as he could as he passed through the halls, muttering the directions to himself. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his eyes continuously darted back and forth for any signs of someone following or getting ready to attack. He'd never felt this nervous in his life, and this is compared to the time he was in high school and standing on the porch of his prom date, staring into the menacing eyes of her body-building biker father with a burly handle-bar moustache.

Edging along the wall, he peered around the corner and, once deeming it safe, quickly darted towards a door. He was certain he was heading in the right direction. He gripped the handle and-

_Click_.

He blinked and tried again. The handle clicked, but the door didn't open. It was locked.

"Shit..."

He stepped away, briefly glancing around before looking at the door. It was a normal door, and the lock was a simple one. Maybe, just maybe he could pick it.

But what would he use?

Covering his mouth he surveyed the area, trying to spot something he could use. His eyes landed on a vase filled with flowers; a simple wire was wrapped around the stems to hold them together around a wooden pole. He sighed heavily, thanking the heavens that whoever decorated the mansion had used such an old trick to keep the flowers in shape. Quickly, he got the wire unwound, wincing when the flowers all collapsed in the vase, falling in a mess around it. He hurried to the door, kneeling down as he bent and fixed the wire into a shape that would be useful.

Carefully, he slid it inside the lock and listened, fiddling and twisting as he tried to remember any lock-picking references he'd ever heard or used.

His heart was ready to explode when the lock finally clicked, and he put the wire in his pocket before opening the door. The hallway beyond was darker than the other, the lights switched off. He dared not turn them on lest he alert someone of his actions, so he closed the door and waited for his eyes to adjust. The hall didn't appear any different from the others aside from the lack of lighting. Slowly, he made his way down the narrow space.

As he reached the end, he caught a smell that made him pause. It was musty and old, but a familiar tang was following it. He sniffed the air, trying to place a name to the scent. It was nagging at his brain, kicking it and making his stomach churn.

He took a step to the right, where the smell was coming from, and the floor creaked. Every muscle in his body tensed and he was rooted to the spot, eyes wide. A single bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face as he stood still, his heart thundering in his chest. He wasn't even breathing he was so scared that someone was about to come charging from the darkness to kill him.

But there was nothing. Just an echoing silence around him, and he slowly forced his body to relax and cooperate. He took a careful step, keeping it on his tip toes as he tested the floor. It creaked a little bit, so he moved his foot around until he found a place that didn't make noise. Carefully, he took the large step. From then on, he measured his steps and avoided any creaking areas, his breathing unsteady as the constant anxiety of getting caught continued to plague him.

By the time he reached the corner, he knew he was running out of time. He had used the excuse of going to the bathroom, but there were only so many minutes one could spend in there. He hoped that Kakashi would be able to pull out a brilliant excuse if the need arose.

Picking his way down the new corridor, he followed the scent, still trying to figure out why it was familiar. He tracked it to a large black door which definitely looked suspicious. The smell was strongest here, and he gently gripped the handle and pushed. It was locked too.

Glancing around, he knelt down and carefully began to pick the lock, all the while wracking his brains to find the name of the smell.

When the lock clicked open, it was like a switch clicked in his mind.

'_...Chloroform..._' his head screamed and he backed away from the door immediately. It had been faint, mere traces. But now that he recognized it, he realized that his head was lighter than before; he hadn't inhaled enough to pass out, but he certainly needed to stop breathing anymore in. Holding his breath, he searched his pockets for anything to use, but he wasn't the type to carry random strips of cloth around. Cursing as it became harder to hold his breath, he grabbed at his own sleeve, tugging as hard as he could. No luck, and so he took a risk and opened his mouth to bite the material, tugging and pulling until finally it began to tear. He ripped a strip off as fast as he could, his face starting to go red. When he had a piece he pressed it over his mouth and nose and breathed, eyes closing as he restored oxygen to his lungs and head. He wondered why the Chloroform was so strong; usually it only got this strong when you had a cloth soaked in it pressed to your face.

As he pushed the door open, however, his question was answered. He gaped, blinking rapidly as he took in the sight before him. There were long sheets hanging along the walls of the room inside, white and shining in the darkness. And he could easily see that they were all soaking wet, dripping onto the floor. The room was practically bathed in Chloroform sheets, and he was hesitant to step inside with his weak mask for protection.

There was nothing else in the room, furniture wise, but he caught sight of a door on the other end. Narrowing his eyes, he slowly inched forwards. He was now certain that whatever was hidden in this mansion was behind that door. For it to have a Chloroform room before it was almost like an old security system. He had to admit it was rather odd and somewhat clever; many people had no idea what Chloroform's scent was like, and he highly doubted that people in the village would have a clue. If anyone, be it insider or outsider, came snooping in this area, they would follow the curious smell, open the door and get knocked out after one gasp.

Sasuke once more thanked the heavens that he had an asshole for an older brother; when he was seventeen, Itachi had decided to give him a 'life lesson against kidnapping' and shoved a Chloroform soaked cloth in his face for a week, catching him by surprise until he finally learned to recognize the scent and hold his breath when Itachi appeared with the cloth.

'_Who'd have thought that would ever come in handy?_' he thought. The ridiculous irony of the situation was almost killing him.

He turned, taking a deep breath and pushing the cloth firmly over his face before rushing through the room. The scent was so strong, his vision blurred a little and he knew if he didn't get through soon, he wouldn't be able to last very long. He grabbed the handle, pushing it down and silently crying out in relief when it opened; obviously they wouldn't lock this door since the owner would need to get through this room quickly too.

He stepped inside and closed the door, leaning back against it and taking a deep gulp of air. He was amazed he'd managed to get this far without getting caught, and he was hopeful that their crazy plan would actually work, and they'd get out of this damned village. At the thought of escaping, he was assaulted with the image of Naruto's face, smiling at him as he asked for his help. Again the small, niggling worm of guilt crawled in his heart, but he was firm in his decision. The simple facts were that he barely knew Naruto or the others, and they had, in a sense, trapped him in this situation against his will. He was doing this to get out, and by get out he fully intended to get out of everything. He wasn't stupid; he knew exactly when he had reached a point of 'knowing too much'. And though he trusted Naruto, for God knows what reason he did, he was an Uchiha, a reporter, and intelligent enough to understand the darker implications of well-meaning words. Telling him to 'wait until we come for you' was like a blinking banner that said 'you can't leave unless we say so'. And from the short time he was able to interact with them, he knew that, at least, in Kiba and Gaara's case...they would not 'say so'.

Closing his eyes, he took a few steadying breaths, pushing back the thoughts of the blond and his two companions. He had to stay focused; he had limited time to do everything, and so wasting time thinking wasn't a luxury he had right now.

Steeling himself, he opened his eyes and stepped away from the door, trying to see. But it was pitch-black in here; there was no light source whatsoever in this place. He supposed that he was in the room that Kakashi mentioned, with the painted and boarded windows. He stood still, listening to try and determine if he was alone or not. There wasn't a single sound in the room apart from his heartbeat and his own breathing. Slowly, he slid his hand along the wall, searching for a light switch.

His fingers bumped along a small knob, and he pressed down. Immediately the room was flooded with light, and for a second he couldn't see anything as his eyes tried to adjust to the change.

When his eyes cleared, he couldn't stop the huge intake of breath or the way he backed up so fast he hit his head against the door with a thump. His stomach churned violently and he clapped a hand over his mouth in a vain attempt to stop the vomit racing up his throat. He turned, crouching and throwing up in the corner, nothing but spittle and bile coming out as he hadn't eaten and he choked on the acid. Coughing and heaving, he wiped his mouth and glanced back, eyes narrowed so that he was peering through his lashes.

Even with the light on, the room was still dimly lit though that did nothing to hide the horrors now facing him. The wall held eight wrist-restraints, and five of them were occupied. The people were unconcious, their clothes tattered and blood-stained. Several wires were attached to them, feeding a vivid orange liquid into their bloodstreams. Their skin was pasty white, and a mix of spittle and blood continuously dripped from their open mouths. There were bumps and bruises all over their bodies, deep gashes that had been stitched with a thick thread that only made it look worse than better. In front of them was a long metal table, covered in various tools, vials, syringes, needles, scalpels and knives and at the end was a bloodied saw. The walls held various charts and graphs, some depicting the human body, others depicting the anatomy of various animals, mostly wolves and foxes. A large cage was in the corner, reeking of blood, urine and vomit. He could only imagine what had taken place in there.

Shuddering, he reached for the pen and paper in his pocket, his hands shaking. He tried not to stab the paper as he pressed it to his knee, writing a brief description of everything he could see. From the chained people, the table and its contents, the cage, and as he looked further, the display to the side holding several more vials and what looked like an image representation of the deity that was from the legend.

He was sweating, his stomach begging him to leave. The room was foul; he'd been focused on the scent of Chloroform before, he hadn't even noticed the disgusting smell radiating from this room itself.

Gulping thickly, he finished off the letter, his writing messy and panicked. He kept glancing up, terrified that one of the people would wake up and start screaming. He wasn't sure what to do about them; a part of him wanted to unchain them and try and help, but how did he know that they were in their right minds? What if they were completely absorbed into Danzou's will, and would attack him if he woke them up?

He didn't want to risk anything; he was already having a nervous break-down as it was. Gathering a breath, he shoved the cloth back over his nose and mouth and ripped the door open, forgetting the light completely and rushing through the Chloroform room. He slammed through the door and shut it, pulling the cloth away and taking a deep breath. His head was light not only from the lingering fumes, but from his growing panic.

'_Focus...Focus..._ ' he thought, trying to control his breathing. He looked down at his torn shirt, wincing. It was a dead giveaway. Looking around, he hurried down the hall, deciding to head to the bathroom and try and clean himself up. He was pale, sweaty and his stomach was still churning; he felt he was going to be sick at any moment.

'_As if I haven't thrown up enough today!_' he thought darkly, reaching the bathroom and quickly slipping inside. He closed the door as gently as he could, leaning against it. His heart was still beating frantically as his mind replayed what he'd seen. Those people...it had looked like they were decaying; as if their bodies were being eaten alive by something slowly, and yet they remained in that odd, catatonic state. He shuddered to think what Danzou had been doing to them.

His stomach lurched again and he cursed, quickly kneeling before the toilet and heaving. He hated how weak he felt in this whole situation; all his previous arrogance and self-confidence had fizzled out in face of something so sickeningly real and terrible. He wasn't dealing with a loony, rambling old lady going on about aliens in her cabbage patch, or a suspicious old man who'd convinced himself with the help of various alcoholic drinks that the Queen of England was actually an alien bee from a distant planet sent to colonize their world. He was dealing with a madman playing with genetics, kidnapping and seemingly torturing people. He was dealing with men who physically opposed the laws of science and transformed from men into beasts at will and by force of a supernatural entity they simply called 'the Curse'.

He rested his forehead on the cool porcelain, his eyes squeezed shut. More than anything he wanted to go home; to return to the world he knew, the world that didn't hold his life in the palm of three strangers with supernatural afflictions. He wanted to see his brother again, step into his apartment and be surrounded by the things he knew were safe and not about to kill him at a moment's notice. Call him cowardly, he didn't care; he didn't like this nightmare and he was anxious to get out of it.

'_Even if I have to break Naruto's trust,_' he thought. He felt guilty, no matter how much his mind screamed that he shouldn't have to. But it was all about survival, and he was certain that if anyone would understand the ways of survival, it would be Naruto. After all, isn't that what he did every day? Survive, survive...hunt, fight, live each day planning to stay alive. A life in the wild was all about survival, and with the added burden of protecting a village, surely Naruto would understand his actions were to survive, to protect himself and Kakashi...

He had to do what he had to do...to live.

"Sasuke?"

The knock on the bathroom door made him jump so badly he hit his head on the underside of the toilet seat. Hissing in pain, he faced the door.

"What?!" he snapped, clutching the bruising area.

"Are you okay? You've been in there for ages. We've already finished the interview," Kakashi said lightly, letting him know that Danzou was standing out there too. Sasuke swallowed before letting out a loud groan.

"Shit...I got sick. I think I ate something bad this morning," he lied. It was a plausible excuse at least; and hey, he had the vomit in the toilet to back him up.

"Ah, you and your weak stomach," Kakashi sighed from outside and Sasuke rolled his eyes at the man's quick uptake. He was too good at this sort of thing. Standing, he flushed the toilet and went to the small sink, rinsing out his mouth and splashing his face. He glanced at his torn sleeve, wincing. How could he explain that?

"I've got your jacket here, and your notepad. Clean up so we can be on our way; we don't want to invade on this village any more than we have."

The door clicked open just a little before Kakashi's hand reached in, holding his jacket and notepad, and Sasuke had to seriously wonder if Kakashi had developed the ability to read his mind. He quickly shrugged the jacket on, sliding his notepad into his back pocket before he opened the door to face Kakashi and Danzou.

"Sorry I missed the interview," he muttered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Kakashi lightly smacked his head, as if scolding him while Danzou simply nodded understandingly.

"Sickness affects us all. It's a flaw in us humans that we can only hope to overcome someday," he said slowly, the wrinkles on his face appearing much deeper than before. Sasuke just nodded, not really meeting his eyes as he stepped out. Danzou led them back through the mansion, heading down separate hallways than the ones they walked before. Sasuke prayed above all else that they would not pass by the door he knew led to the horrors within this mansion.

It seemed that there was someone listening to him, as they were at the front doors before he could panic, and Danzou was wishing them a safe journey back to the city before waving them off and closing the door. Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder, jostling him a little as if to say "We did it! We got out alive!"

But Sasuke wasn't convinced just yet. He still had to get back to the spot he'd entered the village from and send the letter. They hurried back to the house, using their eagerness to leave the depressed village as an excuse for their actions, and once inside Kakashi gathered their bags, promising to wait while Sasuke quickly delivered the letter. He slipped out the window and raced through the back alleys, heart pounding and anxiety growing. If something were to go wrong now...

'_Okay, here...He said I just had to whistle,_' he thought, hands shaking as he pulled the letter out of his pocket. He slowly brought his fingers to his mouth and gave a quick, breathy whistle; he was almost too scared to make a sound at this point.

In a matter of seconds, the small white pup that Kiba had been holding before came trotting through the bushes, whining at him. He was perched on the top of the village wall, lying on his stomach in an effort to be invisible to anyone who may glance his way from the streets, though there were houses in front of him so he prayed the roofs would hide him. Folding the note, he dropped it down and watched as the dog, Akamaru, if he remembered correctly, sniffed it before nipping the end, holding it in his teeth and giving a muffled yip. Then he was gone, bushes rustling in his wake, and Sasuke was almost hysterical over how well that had gone. He practically rolled off the wall, uncaring if he tripped as he landed. Now it was a clear break from then on! They just had to get in their car, drive out the village and floor it through the woods, and they'd be home free.

Encouraged, he ran back to the house, pulling himself up into the window without asking for Kakashi's help or even bothering to look for him. He just wanted to get going.

"Kakashi, come on! Let's go-"

He felt a hand snatch his hair, the sensation of his neck being exposed similar to the horrible feeling of getting all your clothes ripped away in a public place, and then the sharp sting of a needle sliding through his skin. He hadn't even entered the room yet; his legs were hanging out the window, going limp as he slumped over, eyes wide but struggling to stay so.

'_No...No..._' the word repeated in his head, the tone one of absolute horror. How could this be happening? Why now? Just when they were about to get away...

He struggled to look around, trying to see who his captors were. Everything was blurring violently, making him dizzy as the colours and shapes blended and morphed. He thought he could make out Kakashi, lying in a heap on the floor with his arms twisted behind his back...or maybe it was just his jacket falling oddly; it was hard to tell. There were several people standing around, however. One was directly across from him, and as he struggled to draw in a breath, his head becoming heavy with drowsiness and delusion, he looked up to try and make out their face.

There was no doubt in his mind, despite the blurring shapes and distortion...It was Danzou.

'_...Help me...please..._' he slumped over, hanging half in and half out the room, his body completely unresponsive as he slipped out of consciousness. '_...Naruto..._'

* * *

**-Casually hiding behind spiked barricade-  
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**Yep, so, apologies that this took so long...College, mates. :/ Takes up time. Not to mention that I'm going to have a rather tough week this week...wish me luck that I survive to the end with my sanity and personality intact.  
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**But yeah! :D Stuff happened! I'd love to know what you thought of the chapter, and what you think of the story so far! It is getting closer to the end...I only estimate maybe two more chapters...maybe three if I end up writing a long scene that gets us partially nowhere...as I know I tend to do. :/ Sorry.  
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**But yes, feedback is very much appreciated, and thank you to everyone who has left a review for this story! ^_^ I've read them all, and even if I haven't been able to answer personally, know that I see them and I am very, very grateful for the support, critiques and opinions! Thank you guys! Give yourselves a hug from me! ;D  
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**Anyway, until next time! Once more, I shall try my best to work on the chapter, but please have patience with me...I do have a life with other responsibilities. (Sadly)  
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**:D Hope you're all well!  
**


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